UC-NRLF 


135 


,     ;_/ 


$*— 


OS 
PQ 


w 

w 
u 

05 


§    O 


CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS: 


A  SEQUEL 


ANXIOUS  INQUIRER  AFTER  SALVATION, 


BY  REV.   JOHN  ANGELL  JAMES, 


OF   BIRMINGHAM,   ENGLAND. 


. 
•• 

Forgetting  the  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those 
things  which  are  before.     PHIL.  3  :  13. 
Then  shall  we  know,  if  we  follow  on,  to  know  the  Lord.    HOSEA  6  :  3. 


PUBLISHEITBY  THE 
AMERICAN  TRACT   SOCIETY, 

150    NASSAU-STREET,    NEW    YORB. 


?i 


i. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Introduction     ...  .     , .         5 

CHAPTER  I. 
The  Necessity  of  Progress 21 

CHAPTER   II. 
Nature  of  Progress 47 

CHAPTER   III. 
The  Means  of  Progress 105 

CHAPTER   IV. 
Mistakes  concerning  Progress 147 

CHAPTER  V. 
Hinder ances  to  Progress 184 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Motives  to  Progress 216 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Encouragements  to  Progress 25 2? 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  DESCRIPTION  OF  PERSONS  FOR  WHOSE 
BENEFIT  THIS  WORK  IS  INTENDED  AND 
TO  WHOM  IT  IS  ADDRESSED. 

"!F  there  be  one  word,"  says  a  writer  in  one 
of  the  ablest  of  our  evangelical  periodicals, 
"which  more  than  another  now  commands  the 
ear  of  the  public,  that  word  is  *  PROGRESS.'  It 
has  fallen  like  a  spark  among  the  inflammable 
mass  of  the  working  and  thinking  classes. 
This  mighty  watchword  of  the  newest  and 
most  potential  eras  has  run  through  the  mighty 
chain  of  hearts  and  minds  with  electric  in 
tensity."  This  is  true  of  science,  of  literature, 
of  arts,  of  commerce,  of  jurisprudence,  and  of 
politics.  It  would  be  strange  if  religion,  con 
sidered  as  a  practical  system,  could  be  justly 
exempted  from  this  law  of  progress.  We  are 
to  expect  no  new  revelations,  and  cannot  look 
for  any  new  doctrines  to  be  brought  out  of  th3 
old  ones.  That  these  however  have  yet  to 
develope  themselves  still  more  clearly  ;  that 
new  treasures  are  to  be  brought  out  of  this 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

• 

inexhaustible  mine,  and  a  new  power  to  be 
exerted  by  this  mighty  instrument  for  the 
world's  regeneration,  who  can  doubt  ? 

It  is  not,  however,  of  the  progress  of  theo 
logical  science,  as  it  is  found  in  the  systems  of 
divines,  and  as  it  shall  clear  away  the  clouds 
and  mists  which  hang  over  men's  minds,  and 
hide  the  glory  of  the  great  luminary  of  the 
world,  that  I  now  write,  but  of  the  progress  of 
truth  in  the  individual  mind  and  heart  and 
character ;  of  that  blessed  growth  in  spiritual 
life  which  is  to  be  the  supreme  object  of  every 
one  who  has  passed  through  a  state  of  religious 
solicitude,  and  which  carries  forward  the  soul 
of  "the  anxious  inquirer"  to  the  condition  of 
the  established  believer. 

This  work  takes  it  for  granted  that  the 
reader  has  decided,  in  his  own  opinion  at  any 
rate,  in  the  great  business  of  religion,  to  look 
for  salvation  by  faith  in  Christ  alone.  I  am 
supposing  that  he  has  been  led  to  this  by  the 
blessing  of  God  upon  my  former  work,  or  upon 
some  other  means.  It  is  not  my  design  now 
to  urge  him  to  surrender  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross  to  God.  I  consider  this  as  done.  He 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

has  also  become  the  professor  of  the  faith  he 
has  exercised.  His  difficulties  have  been  re 
moved,  his  mistakes  rectified,  and  seeing  his 
only  way  of  salvation  to  be  by  trust  in  Christ, 
he  is  now  to  be  led  forward  in  the  ways  of  the 
Lord. 

It  is  the  confession  and  lamentation  of  the 
horticulturist  that  many  of  the  most  promis 
ing  and  beautiful  blossoms  of  his  trees  do  not 
set  in  fruit ;  and  that  many  which  do,  never 
ripen  to  maturity.  Precisely  similar  cases  occur 
to  the  spiritual  husbandmen  in  the  garden  of 
the  Lord.  "Where  is  the  faithful  minister  of 
Jesus  Christ  who  has  not  often  in  sadness  and 
disappointment,  to  adopt  the  language,  and  to 
sympathize  in  the  feelings  of  surprise,  grief, 
and  disappointment  of  the  apostle  Paul,  where 
he  said,  "I  am  afraid  of  you,  lest  I  have 
bestowed  upon  you  labor  in  vain.  ("My  little 
children,  of  whom  I  travail  in  birth  again  until 
Christ  be  formed  in  you,  I  desire  to  be  present 
with  you  now,  and  to  change  my  voice ;  for  I 
stand  in  doubt  of  you.  Ye  did  run  well ;  who 
did  hinder  you,  that  ye  should  not  obey  the 
truth  ?"  Gal.  4 : 11,  19,  20 ;  5  : 7.  How  often, 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

when  through  (rod's  grace  we  fondly  hoped  we 
had  led  the  penitent  to  the  cross,  directed  the 
eye  of  faith  to  the  Lamb  of  Grod,  assisted  him 
in  the  exercise  of  a  "good  hope,"  and  left  him 
in  possession  of  a  quiet  consciousness  of  the 
great  change,  have  we  seen  him  leave  his  "  first 
love,"  and  instead  of  advancing  into  a  fuller 
development  of  Christian  character,  relinquish 
ing  the  solicitude  he  once  possessed,  and  sink 
ing  into  a  state  of  lukewarm  indifference. 

Often  do  faithful  ministers  perceive  that 
religious  concern  is  awakened  in  the  minds  of 
some  of  their  hearers.  Conviction  of  sin  by 
the  law  is  produced,  and  the  great  question 
with  its  accompanying  solicitude  is  awakened, 
""What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  The  anxious 
inquirer  is  instructed  in  the  way  of  salvation. 
He  professes  to  understand  and  receive  "the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus."  His  solicitude  sub 
sides  into  peace.  He  becomes '  a  professor  of 
religion ;  is  received  into  the  fellowship  of  the 
church ;  and  considers  himself,  and  is  con 
sidered  by  others,  a  Christian.  It  might  be 
expected  that  he  would  now  grow  in  grace  ; 
that  he  would  be  continually  advancing  in  the 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

divine  life ;  that  his  attainments  would  "be 
always  increasing ;  that  progression  would  be 
the  law  of  his  new  existence.  But  is  not  the 
contrary  to  this  the  case  with  many  of  those 
who  make  a  profession  ?  Do  they  look  like 
learners  in  the  school  of  Christ  who  are  mak 
ing  great  proficiency  in  divine  knowledge  ?  On 
the  contrary,  does  it  not  appear  too  evident 
that  in  many  cases  the  young  disciple,  instead 
of  remaining  the  anxious  believer  and  pro 
gressive  Christian,  has  subsided  into  the  care 
less  professor  ?  As  if  his  solicitude  was  to 
-make  a  profession,  not  to  maintain  it;  to  be 
called  a  Christian,  rather  than  be  one  ;  to  enjoy 
church  privileges,  rather  than  to  feel  individual 
obligations. 

It  might  seem  strange  that  when  a  false 
profession  is  so  awfully  denounced,  and  the 
Lord's  table  guarded  as  if  by  the  flaming 
sword  of  a  cherub  in  that  woe  pronounced  by 
the  apostle  upon  the  unworthy  receiver,  any 
one  should  be  so  rash  and  reckless  as  to  expose 
his  soul  to  the  perilous  stroke  of  that  fearful 
weapon.  Yet  many  do,  by  partaking  in  an 
unmeet  state  of  mind  of  the  sacred  supper. 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

It  will  perhaps  be  asked,  Why  do  the  minis 
ters  of  religion  permit  it  ?  We  reply,  Can  they 
search  the  heart  ?  Can  they  discern  between 
the  sincere  and  the  self-deceived  communicant  ? 
Is  not  a  credible  profession  a  sufficient  warrant 
to  any  minister  to  admit  a  person  to  the  com 
munion  ? 

In  an  age  like  ours,  when  evangelical  religion 
bears  no  stigma,  and  its  professors  are  called  to 
endure  no  persecution,  it  is  natural  to  suppose 
that  some,  yea,  many,  will  say,  "  Lord,  Lord," 
who  do  not  the  will  of  our  Father  in  heaven. 
Many  there  are  who  feel  the  obligation  to  make 
a  profession  of  religion,  who  have  no  just  sense 
of  what  it  includes  and  requires.  The  persua 
sion  of  friends  and  their  own  wish  to  be  associat 
ed  with  them,  may  also  lead  to  this ;  and  thus 
the  conscience  is  appeased,  a  sense  of  religious 
decorum  indulged,  and  pious  relatives  pleased, 
while  at  the  same  time  there  is  no  adequate 
idea  of  the  obligation  which  the  assumption  of 
the  Christian  name  involves. 

With  many  persons  there  seems  to  be  a  radi 
cal  mistake  as  to  the  true  nature  of  the  Chris 
tian  life.  It  is  regarded  too  much  in  the  light 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

of  a  mere  profession,  rather  than  a  practice — a 
state,  rather  than  a  habit — a  fixed  point,  rather 
than  a  continuous  line — a  resting  place,  rather 
than  a  field  of  labor — the  goal,  rather  than  the 
starting  point.  A  profession  has  been  looked 
forward  to  with  anxiety,  as  a  something  which 
is  to  fix  and  determine  the  character — to  give 
a  religious  status,  to  secure  certain  immunities. 
The  mind  in  prospect  is  perhaps  somewhat  seri 
ous,  agitated,  and  solicitous.  The  table  of  the 
Lord  is  approached,  and  perhaps  with  some  so 
lemnity  and  self-surrender.  And  it  is  now  regard 
ed  as  a  thing  done.  The  Christian  character  is 
formed.  The  mind  is  at  ease.  The  inward  con 
sciousness  is,  "  I  am  a  professor."  In  too  many 
cases,  solicitude  is  from  that  hour  at  an  end. 
Instead  of  a  trembling  anxiety  to  be  all  that 
they  profess  ;  to  do  all  that  is  required  of  them ; 
to  develope  all  that  is  contained  in  the  Christian 
character ;  to  supply  all  the  defects  in  know 
ledge,  faith,  and  holiness,  which  might  be  sup 
posed  to  exist  in  one  so  young  in  religion ;  to 
demonstrate  to  all  around  the  reality,  by  the 
growth,  of  their  piety  ;  they  settle  down  at  ease 
upon  their  profession,  and  in  many  cases  are 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

never  more  in  earnest,  and  in  not  a  few  less  so, 
than  when  they  began  to  seek  the  Lord. 

But  without  supposing  such  extreme  cases 
as  these  of  self-satisfaction  in  the  first  stages  of 
religion,  there  are  others  of  a  somewhat  more 
hopeful  character,  but  which  still  require  the 
cautions,  directions,  and  admonitions  of  such  a 
work  as  this.  And  to  put  these  more  clearly 
before  the  reader,  I  may  observe  there  are  four 
successive  states  of  mind  in  reference  to  relig 
ion  :  absolute  indifference — concern,  attended 
by  conviction  of  sin — faith  in  Christ,  bringing 
relief  to  the  burdened  and  troubled  conscience — 
and  then  the  work  of  faith  in  its  continuous  in 
fluence  on  the  Christian  life  and  character.  I  am 
supposing  now  the  case  of  one  who  has  reached 
the  third  stage.  His  indifference  has  given  place 
to  solicitude,  his  solicitude  has  obtained  relief 
by  faith.  The  young  disciple  has  discovered, 
to  his  delight,  the  way  of  pardon,  peace,  and 
eternal  life,  through  the  atonement  of  Christ. 
There  he  is,  lying  down  in  peace  at  the  foot  of 
the  cross.  The  oppressive  burden  of  his  guilt  is 
lost.  The  tormenting  fear  which  it  produced  has 
been  cast  out  by  love.  He  is  now  ready  to  say, 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

"Sweet  the  moments,  rich  in  blessing, 

Which  before  the  cross  I  spend, 
Life,  and  health,  and  peace  possessing/ 
From  the  sinner's  dying  Friend. 

"Here  I  '11  sit,  with  transport  viewing 

Mercy's  streams,  in  streams  of  blood  : 
Precious  drops  my  soul  bedewing, 
Plead  and  claim  my  peace  with  God." 

All  this  is  well,  good,  happy — but  it  is  not 
enough.  Even  he,  this  relieved  soul,  is  but  too 
apt  to  forget  that  he  has  "  not  yet  attained,  and 
is  not  yet  perfect."  Even  he  is  but  too  apt  to 
consider  that  the  great  transition  from  a  state 
of  nature  to  a  state  of  grace — that  the  mighty 
bound  from  impenitence  to  conversion — that  the 
wondrous  translation  from  the  power  of  dark 
ness  to  the  kingdom  of  (rod's  dear  son,  is,  if 
not  all  that  is  required,  yet  all  that  need  make 
him  anxious.  He  is  so  taken  up  with  his  jus 
tification  through  faith,  and  the  peace  with  God 
which  it  brings  with  it,  that  his  sanctification 
is  too  little  thought  of.  He  is  ready  to  say  of 
Calvary  what  Peter  did  of  Tabor,  "It  is  good 
to  be  here ;"  not  considering  how  much  yet 
remains  to  be  done.  It  is  indeed  a  blessed  thing 
to  be  pardoned  :  who  can  deny  it  ?  To  look  up 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

and  see  the  brow  of  Deity  not  clothed  with  a 
frown,  but  radiant  with  a  smile — to  see  the 
heavens  all  serene  and  cloudless,  and  to  feel  the 
bright  beams  of  mercy  diffusing  warmth  as  well 
as  light  over  the  conscience.  "  Oh,  the  blessed 
ness  of  the  man  whose  transgressions  are  for 
given,  whose  sin  is  covered,  to  whom  the  Lord 
imputeth  not  iniquity."  But  this  is  not  the 
whole  of  religion — nor  the  end  of  it — nor  the 
highest  glory  of  it.  There  is  the  purpose  for 
which  this  very  pardon  is  granted,  to  be  accom 
plished.  There  is  all  the  subsequent  work  of 
grace,  of  which  this  is  only  the  commencement, 
to  be  carried  on  and  completed. 

Oh,  thou  blessed  penitent,  thou  relieved 
anxious  inquirer,  thou  rejoicing  young  believ 
er,  I  would  not  dash  the  cup  of  consolation 
from  thy  lips,  nor  drop  into  it  wormwood  and 
gall.  I  would  not  affirm  thy  joy  is  premature. 
On  the  contrary,  I  would  say,  "  Rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  rejoice  in  the  Lord  always."  "  The  joy 
of  the  Lord  is  thy.  strength."  "  Go  on  thy  way 
rejoicing."  Yes,  but  then,  Go  on.  Carry  thy 
joy  with  thee,  even  joy  and  peace  in  believing. 
But  still  I  say,  Go  on.  Onward,  onward 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

is  the  Christian's  watchword.  How  blessed  a 
night  was  it  to  the  children  of  Israel  when  they 
celebrated  the  paschal  feast  on  the  eve  of  their 
flight  from  the  house  of  bondage.  Yes,  but 
they  were  to  eat  it  with  their  staves  in  their 
hands,  and  with  other  emblems  of  progress. 
How  jubilant  were  their  feelings  when  they 
found  themselves  safe  on  the  farther  shore  of 
the  Red  sea.  Yes,  but  there  they  were  not  to 
linger,  but  must  move  onward.  All  the  length 
of  the  wilderness  stretched  between  them  and 
the  promised  land.  Privations  were  to  be  en 
dured,  enemies  to  be  encountered,  difficulties 
to  be  surmounted,  and  dangers  to  be  escaped, 
ere  they  could  set  their  foot  on  Canaan.  So  is 
it  with  the  Christian — his  conversion  is  but  his 
flight  from  Egypt ;  and  amidst  all  the  joy  of 
his  first  faith  and  first  love,  he  must  be  remind 
ed  of  the  journey  through  the  wilderness,  and 
be  prepared  to  make  it. 

The  journey  is  in  fact  to  the  latter  what 
it  was  to  the  former,  the  great  test  of  charac 
ter.  Of  all  those  six  hundred  thousand  who 
started  so  joyfully  from  Egypt,  only  two  crossed 
the  Jordan.  All  the  rest  found  graves  in  the 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

wilderness.  Of  those  who  now  seem  so  hope 
fully  to  set  out  for  heaven,  and  make  a  good 
profession  before  many  witnesses,  how  many  are 
satisfied  with  merely  beginning  well.  In  them 
the  Christian  character  is  never  developed. 
They  make  no  progress.  Not  going  forward, 
they  turn  backward.  They  are  like  ever 
greens  transplanted  in  the  spring,  which  for 
a  while  look  as  vigorous  and  fresh  as  the  other 
shrubs  all  around  them ;  but  they  send  out  no 
shoots,  though  retaining  for  a  while  their  ver 
dure.  The  gardener  as  he  looks  upon  the  plant 
has  his  fears,  and  shakes  his  head ;  till,  as  the 
season  advances,  the  signs  of  decay  are  but  too 
apparent,  and  the  leafless  skeleton  proclaims  the 
work  of  death.  So  is  it  with  some  who  make 
a  profession  of  religion  in  youth. 

The  design  of  this  volume,  then,  will  now  be 
clearly  seen,  and  the  persons  for  whom  it  is  in 
tended  be  correctly  understood.  It  is  a  sequel 
to  "  The  Anxious  Inquirer  after  Salvation,"  and 
takes  up  the  traveller  to  heaven  where  that 
leaves  him,  and  offers  to  guide  him  onward  in 
his  perilous  and  eventful  course.  To  change 
the  illustration  from  the  flight  of  Israel  out  of 


INTRODUCTION.    .  17 

Egypt  to  that  of  Lot  from  Sodom,  and  to  con 
nect  it  with,  the  work  above  alluded  to,  I  may 
say,  that  if  the  intent  and  effect  of  that  little 
work,  in  every  case  where  it  is  successful,  is,  to 
pluck  the  sinner  from  the  condemnation  of  the 
law,  as  the  angel  brought  the  patriarch  out  of 
the  city  doomed  to  destruction ;  the  purpose  of 
this  is,  to  say  to  the  rescued  fugitive,  "Escape  for 
thy  life  :  look  not  behind  thee,  neither  stay  thou 
in  all  the  plain ;  escape  to  the  mountain,  lest 
thou  be  consumed." 

ADDRESS  TO  THE   READER. 

Before  you  proceed  to  read  another  page, 
pause,  ponder,  and  examine.  Solemnly,  as  in 
the  presence  of  Grod — seriously,  as  taking  up  the 
most  momentous  subject  in  the  universe — hon 
estly,  as  wishing  to  know  your  real  state,  ask 
yourself  the  question,  "Am  I  stopping  in  a  mere 
profession  ?  Have  not  I  hastily  taken  up  the 
Cliristian  name  without  duly  considering  what 
it  is  to  be^  a  Christian;  what  strictness  and 
earnestness  it  implies;  what  obligations  it  im 
poses  ;  what  duties  it  requires ;  and  what  pro 
gressive  improvements  it  demands  ?  Have  I 

Chr.  Proff.  2 


18  .     INTRODUCTION. 

really  studied  the  word  of  Grod  to  obtain  a  cor- 
rect  idea  of  the  nature  of  religion  ;  of  its  holi 
ness,  spirituality,  heavenliness  ?  Do  I  under 
stand  it  to  be  a  growing  meetness  for,  and  a 
steady  advance  towards  celestial  glory  ?  Have 
I  not  concluded  I  am  a  Christian  too  hastily  ? 
Or,  have  I  not  settled  down  into  a  state  of  care 
lessness,  while  I  ought  to  "be  still  in  a  state  of 
anxiety  and  effort  ?  Or,  supposing  I  have  ex 
perienced  a  change,  have  I  not  taken  up  the  idea 
that  religion  is  a  state  rather  than  a  progress  ?" 
Reader,  put  these  questions  to  yourself.  Be 
honest.  "Wish,  long,  be  intensely  anxious  to  be 
right.  Tremble  to  your  very  soul's  centre  at 
the  idea  of  self-deception  on  so  momentous  an 
affair.  Before  you  read  another  chapter,  put 
down  the  volume,  fall  upon  your  knees  and  ag 
onize  in  prayer  that  the  perusal  may  be  blessed 
to  your  soul.  Take  the  book  with  you  into 
your  closet.  Read  it  in  your  most  serious  hours, 
in  your  greatest  privacy,  and  in  the  most  solemn 
manner.  I  would  recommend  these  and  some 
such  other  directions  for  its  perusal  as  are  found 
in  "  The  Anxious  Inquirer."  In  books  for  spir 
itual  edification,  much  depends  upon  the  man- 


INTRODUCTION.    .  19 

ner  in  which,  they  are  read.  If  taken  up  care 
lessly  and  read  in  a  light  mood,  or  in  the  com 
pany  of  others,  they  are  likely  to  do  little  good. 
The  attention  will  not  be  fixed,  nor  the  heart 
engaged,  nor  the  conscience  awakened.  You 
must  be  somewhere  alone  with  God  ;  where  you 
can  have  leisure  and  opportunity  to  commune 
with  your  own  heart  and  with  him  ;  where  you 
can  pause,  reflect,  and  pray,  unobserved  by  a 
single  fellow-creature  ;  where  you  can  stop,  ex 
amine,  ejaculate,  and  it  may  be,  weep. 

You  must  read  this  work,  if  you  would  get 
any  good  jrom  it,  in  some  such  serious  manner 
as  this.  I  have  been  very  serious  in  writing  it. 
It  has  lain  with  great  weight  upon  my  spirit, 
and  has  been  the  subject  of  much  earnest  prayer 
to  God.  I  have  seen  much  of  the  evils  it  is  in 
tended  to  remove,  and  felt  much  of  the  need  of 
some  such  work.  And  as  every  page  has  been 
written  in  the  spirit  and  exercise  of  prayer  more 
or  less,  so  I  feel  anxious  that  every  page  should 
be  read  in  the  spirit  of  prayer.  Offer,  there 
fore,  some  such  supplication  as  this  : 

"  Father  of  mercies  and  God  of  all  grace, 
since  thou  hast  put  it  into  the  heart  of  thy  ser- 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

vant  to  write  this  little  work  for  my  edification, 
grant  me,  through  Jesus  Christ  my  only  Medi 
ator  and  Advocate,  the  teaching  and  help  of  thy 
Holy  Spirit,  that  I  may  derive  spiritual  advan 
tage  from  the  perusal  of  it.  Rouse  my  too  dull 
and  flagging  soul  to  consider  the  importance  of 
the  subject.  I  give  thee  sincere  and  hearty 
thanks  that  thou  hast  awakened  in  me  an  anx 
iety  about  salvation,  and  enabled  me  to  look  for 
the  mercy  of  God,  through  Jesus  Christ,  unto 
eternal  life.  But  as  the  work  of  grace  is  only 
just  begun  in  me,  I  earnestly  pray  that  I  may 
be  deeply  impressed  with  the  indispensable  need 
of  progressive  improvement.  Make  me  desirous 
to  grow  in  grace :  and  may  this  book,  through 
thy  blessing,  greatly  conduce  to  that  end.  Help 
me  to  fix  my  attention  upon  what  I  read;  to 
understand  what  I  attend  to ;  to  treasure  up 
what  I  understand  in  my  memory ;  and  to  prac 
tise  what  I  remember,  so  that  I  may  have  cause 
to  bless  thee  that  ever  this  work  came  into  my 
hand.  Thus,  while  I  am  thankful  for  the  in 
strument,  thine  shall  be  the  glory,  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Amen." 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE  NECESSITY  OF  PROG-RESS. 

ALL  spiritual  good  things  tend  to  improve 
ment.  A  right  principle  must,  from  its  very 
nature,  push  outward  and  onward  as  long  as 
there  is  in  contact  with  it  any  thing  that  is 
wrong,  for  there  is  an  expansive  power  in  all 
truth  and  virtue.  It  would  be  strange  if  this 
were  not  the  case  with  religion.  It  is  with 
goodness  as  with  money,  the  possession  aug 
ments  the  desire  to  possess  more.  So  that  they 
who  are  contented  with  such  a  measure  of  piety 
as  they  already  suppose  they  possess,  give  fear 
ful  evidence  that  they  have  none.  And  this 
ought  to  sound  alarm  at  once  in  the  ears  of  a 
very  large  number  of  persons.  "Is  it  true," 
they  should  say,  "  that  a  self-satisfied  condition 


22  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

is  proof  of  little  or  no  religion ;  that  a  quiet, 
easy,  contented  mind,  without  any  anxiety  to 
advance,  is  an  evidence  that  the  soul  is  not  in 
a  good  and  safe  state  ?  Then  ought  I  not  to  fear 
that  I  am  deluding  myself,  since  certainly  I 
know  very  little  about  such  a  solicitude  as  this  ? 
Have  I  not,  since  I  made  a  profession,  seemed 
to  reach  the  summit  of  my  hopes,  and  settled 
down,  into  a  state  of  religious  competency  upon 
a  supposition  that  I  am  rich  enough  already  ?" 
It  may  be  well  for  the  fears  of  some  to  be  thus 
excited ;  and  that  they  should  ask  such  ques 
tions  about  their  real  condition.  An  uninquis- 
itive  state  of  mind  cannot  be  a  safe  one.  It  is 
too  momentous  an  affair  to  be  treated  in  this 
"  free  and  easy"  sort  of  manner.  It  would  be 
far  more  rational  for  a  young  tradesman  lately 
started  in  life  to  be  careless  and  questionless 
about  his  advance  or  retrogression,  than  for  a 
young  Christian  lately  set  out  on  the  journey 
to  heaven.  "  Am  I  making  progress  ?"  should 
be  his  inquiry.  Just  for  this  reason,  progress 
is  the  law  of  true  religion.  This  appears, 

First,  from  Scripture  COMMANDS.     "We  shall 
select   only   a   few   of   the   most   prominent. 


NECESSITY  OF  PROG-RESS.  23 

How  impressive  is  such  language  as  the  follow 
ing:  "  That  he  would  grant  you,  according  to 
the  riches  of  his  glory,  to  "be  strengthened  with 
might  by  his  Spirit  in  the  inner  man ;  that 
Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith ;  that 
ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may  be 
able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints*  what  is  the 
breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height ;  and 
to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  know 
ledge,  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the  ful 
ness  of  God."  Ephes.  3  : 16-19.  "  That  we 
henceforth  be  no  more  children,  tossed  to  and 
fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doc 
trine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  crafti 
ness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive  ;  but 
speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  into 
him  in  all  things,  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ : 
from  whom  the  whole  body  fitly  joined  together 
and  compacted  by  that  which  every  joint  sup- 
plieth,  according  to  the  effectual  working  in  the 
measure  of  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the 
body  unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love."  Eph. 
4:14-16.  Read  also  Phil.  1:9-11;  Col.  1:9-11  ; 
Heb.  6:1-3;  13:20,21;  1  Pet.  2  : 1 ;  2  Pet. 
1:5;  and  especially  2  Pet.  3 : 18 :  "  Grow  in 


24:  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ."  May  I  request  you  to 
lay  down  this  volume,  open  your  Bible,  and 
read  these  passages,  remembering  that  it  is 
God  who  speaks  to  you  in  every  one  of  them, 
and  commands  you  to  go  forward. 

Secondly, '  consider  the  scriptural  ILLUSTRA 
TIONS  of  the  nature  of  true  religion.  "We  take 
one  first  from  the  Old  Testament,  and  a  beau 
tiful  one  it  is — the  rise  and  progress  of  the  SUN. 
"  The  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light, 
that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day."  Proverbs  4 : 18.  It  is  not  the  glimmei 
of  the  glow-worm,  nor  the  transient  blaze  oi 
the  meteor,  nor  the  wasting  ray  of  the  taper, 
but  the  grand  luminary  of  heaven  "  coining 
out  of  his  chamber  and  rejoicing  as  a  strong 
man  to  run  a  race."  And  a  very  beautiful 
sight  it  is,  to  see  a  soul  rising  out  of  darkness, 
not  stopping  on  the  verge  of  the  horizon,  but 
ascending  higher  and  higher — not  merely  be 
ginning  its  course  and  remaining  amidst  fogs, 
clouds,  and  mists,  but  shining  brighter  and 
brighter  at  every  step  with  increasing  know 
ledge,  faith,  and  love.  But  is  this  shining  light 


NECESSITY  OF  PROG-RESS.  25 

the  picture  of  our  path?  There  is  no  such 
command  given  as,  "  Sun,  stand  thou  still ;" 
therefore  it  rebukes  a  stationary  profession.  It 
is  a  rising  and  advancing,  not  a  declining  sun  ; 
therefore  it  rebukes  a  backsliding  state.  There 
may  be  an  occasional  cloud,  or  even  in  some 
cases,  as  of  David  and  Peter,  a  temporary 
eclipse.  But  when  did  the  sun  fail  of  carrying 
on  its  early  dawn  to  a  perfect  day  ?  Be  thank 
ful,  then,  for  "  the  day  of  small  things ;"  despise 
it  not.  But  be  not  satisfied  with  it.  Religion 
must  be  a  shining  and  a  progressive  light. 

Among  these  scriptural  illustrations  there  is 
none  more  frequent  or  better  known  than  LIFE. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  quote  passages,  they 
are  so  numerous  and  so  familiar.  "  He  that 
belie veth  hath  everlasting  life."  "  By  this  we 
know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life." 
"  He  came  that  we  might  have  life,  and  that 
we  might  have  it  more  abundantly."  "  Your 
life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  G-od."  "  When  Christ 
who  is  our  life  shall  appear."  Religion  is  a 
new,  a  spiritual,  a  divine,  a  heavenly  life;  the 
life  of  Grod  in  the  soul  of  man.  Now,  it  is  the 
law  of  all  life  to  progress.  It  is  so  with  veget- 


26  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

able  and  animal  vitality,  and  it  must  of  neces 
sity  be  so  with  that  which  is  spiritual.  Mark 
the  new-born  babe :  there  is  a  spark  of  life, 
always  very  feeble,  sometimes  scarcely  distin 
guishable  from  death.  Yet,  there  is  life.  The 
babe  becomes  a  child,  the  child  a  youth,  the 
youth  a  man.  Life  is  progressive.  Is  not  this, 
I  say,  the  selected,  the  frequent  emblem  of  the 
Christian?  In  support  of  this  illustration  of 
progress  in  religion,  we  may  refer  to  one  of  the 
passages  already  quoted  :  "  As  new-born  babes, 
desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,that  ye  may 
grow  thereby."  Newly  converted  persons  are 
babes  lately  born,  little  infants,  feeble  in  every 
thing  that  pertains  to  spiritual  life,  yet  there 
is  life.  They  are  not  like  still-born  children, 
that  cannot  grow,  but  are  quickened  from  a 
death  of  sin  to  a  life  of  righteousness.  "What 
is  dead  cannot  grow  ;  as  what  is  wholly  perfect 
does  not  need  to  grow.  An  unregenerated  sin 
ner  can  never  grow  in  spiritual  life ;  he  must 
first  be  made  alive  :  and  when  he  is  alive  he 
must  grow.  This  constitutes  the  difference 
between  "living"  in  the  Spirit,  and  "  ivalk- 
ing"  in  the  Spirit.  There  is  first  the  principle 


NECESSITY  OF  PROGRESS.  27 

ot  life,  then  its  manifestation  in  activity.  So, 
young  Christians  are  very  far  from  being  what 
they  are  yet  to  be,  even  on  earth  ;  as  all  Chris 
tians  are  very  far  from  being  what  they  are  to 
be  in  heaven.  The  child  of  Grod  is  born  to 
grow  as  well  as  to  live ;  and  G-od,  who  has 
ordained  the  growth,  has  provided  for  it  in  the 
milk  of  the  word.  The  representation  of  Arch 
bishop  Leighton  in  his  exquisitely  beautiful 
exposition  of  this  passage  is  so  striking  that  I 
shall  introduce  a  long  quotation  from  it,  which 
no  one  will  deem  too  long : 

"  The  whole  estate  and  course  of  the  Chris 
tian's  spiritual  life  here  is  called  their  infancy, 
not  only  as  opposed  to  the  corruption  and 
wickedness  of  their  previous  state,  but  like 
wise  as  signifying  the  weakness  and  imper 
fection  of  it  at  the  best  in  this  life,  compared 
with  the  perfection  of  the  life  to  come  ;  for 
the  weakest  beginnings  of  grace  are  by  no 
means  so  far  below  the  highest  degree  of  it 
possible  in  this  life,  as  the  highest  degree  falls 
short  of  the  state  of  glory  :  so  that,  if  one 
measure  of  grace  is  called  infancy  in  respect 
to  another,  much  more  is  all  grace  infancy  in 


28  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

respect  to  glory.  And  surely,  as  for  duration, 
the  time  of  our  present  life  is  far  less  to  eter 
nity  than  the  time  of  our  natural  infancy  is 
to  the  rest  of  our  life  ;  so  that  we  may  stil] 
he  called  hut  new  or  lately  horn.  Our  hest 
pace  and  strongest  walking  in  ohedience  here, 
is  hut  the  stepping  of  children  when  they 
hegin  to  go  hy  hold,  in  comparison  with  the 
perfect  ohedience  in  glory,  the  stately,  grace 
ful  steps  with  which,  on  the  heights  of  Zion, 
we  shall  walk  in  the  light  of  the  Lord ;  when 
*  we  shall  follow  the  Lamh  whithersoever  he 
goeth.'  All  our  knowledge  here  is  hut  the 
ignorance  of  infants,  and  all  our  expressions 
of  Grod  and  of  his  praises,  are  hut  as  the  first 
stammerings  of  children — which  are,  however, 
very  pleasant  hoth  to  child  and  parent — in 
comparison  with  the  knowledge  we  shall  have 
of  him  hereafter,  *  when  we  shall  know  as  we 
are  known ;'  and  with  those  praises  we  shall 
offer  him,  when  that  new  song  shall  he  taught 
us,  '  which  is  sung  hefore  the  throne,  and 
hefore  the  four  living  creatures,  and  which 
none  can  learn  hut  those  who  are  redeemed 
from  the  earth.'  Rev.  14  :  3.  A  child  hath  in 


NECESSITY  OF  PROG-RESS.  29 

it  a  reasonable  soul ;  and  yet,  "by  the  indis- 
posedness  of  the  body,  and  abundance  of 
moisture,  it  is  so  bound  up,  that  its  difference 
from  the  beasts,  and  its  partaking  of  a  rational 
nature,  is  not  so  apparent  as  afterwards ;  and 
thus  the  spiritual  life  that  is  from  above  in 
fused  into  a  Christian,  though  it  doth  act  and 
work  in  some  degree,  yet  it  is  so  clogged  with 
natural  corruption  still  remaining  in  him,  that 
the  excellency  of  it  is  much  clouded  and 
obscured  ;  but  in  the  life  to  come  it  shall  have 
nothing  at  all  encumbering  and  indisposing  it. 
And  this  is  the  apostle  Paul's  doctrine  :  '  For 
we  know  in  part,  and  we  prophesy  in  part. 
But  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then 
that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away. 
When  I  was  a  child  I  spoke  as  a  child,  I 
understood  as  a  child,  I  thought  as  a  child ; 
but  when  I  became  a  man,  I  put  away  child 
ish  things.  For  now  we  see  through  a  glass, 
darkly ;  but  then  face  to  face  :  now  I  know  in 
part;, but  then  shall  I  know  even  also  as  I 
am  known.'  1  Cor.  13  :  9-12. 

"  And  this  is  the  wonder  of  divine  grace, 
that  brings  so  small  beginnings  to  that  height 


30  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

of  perfection  that  we  are  not  able  to  conceive 
of;  that  a  little  spark  of  true  grace,  that  is 
not  only  undiseernible  to  others,  but  often  to 
the  Christian  himself,  should  yet  be  the  begin 
ning  of  that  condition  wherein  they  shall  shino 
brighter  than  the  sun  in  the  firmament.  The 
difference  is  great  in  our  natural  life,  in  some 
persons  especially,  that  they  who  in  infancy 
were  so  feeble  and  wrapped  up  like  others  in 
swaddling  clothes,  yet  afterwards  come  to  excel 
in  wisdom  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  sci 
ences,  to  be  commanders  of  great  armies,  or 
to  be  kings ;  but  the  distance  is  far  greater 
and  more  admirable,  between  the  weakness  of 
these  new-born  babes,  the  small  beginnings  of 
grace,  and  their  after  perfection,  that  fulness 
of  knowledge  that  we  look  for,  and  that  crown 
of  immortality  that  all  are  born  to  who  are 
born  of  God.  But  as  in  the  faces  and  actions 
of  some  children,  characters  and  presages  of 
their  after  greatness  have  appeared — as  a  sin 
gular  beauty  in  Moses'  countenance,  as  they 
write  of  him,  and  as  Cyrus  was  made  king 
among  the  shepherd's  children  with  whom  he 
was  brought  up — so  also  certainly  in  these 


NECESSITY  OF  rROQRESS.  31 

children  of  God  there  be  some  characters  and 
evidences  that  they  are  born  for  heaven  by 
their  new  birth.  That  holiness  and  meekness, 
that  patience  and  faith,  that  shine  in  the 
actions  and  sufferings  of  the  saints,  are  char 
acters  of  their  Father's  image,  and  show  their 
high  original,  and  foretell  their  glory  to  come ; 
such  a  glory  as  doth  not  only  surpass  the 
world's  thoughts,  but  the  thoughts  of  the  chil 
dren  of  G-od  themselves.  *  It  doth  not  yet 
appear  what  we  shall  be  ;  but  we  know  that, 
when  He  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him ; 
for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is.'  1  John,  3:2." 
We  now,  in  prosecution  of  the  scriptural 
illustrations  of  religious  progress,  take  up  the 
idea  of  a  SPRING.  "  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  her,  Whosoever  shall  drink  of  this  water 
shall  thirst  again ;  but  the  water  that  I  shall 
give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water 
springing  up  into  everlasting  life."  John 
4 : 13,  14.  Permit  me  to  direct  your  fixed 
attention  to  the  beauties  of  this  passage. 
While  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  "  the  lust 
of  the  flesh,  the  pride  of  life,  and  the  lust  of 
the  eyes,"  are  but  as  drops  which  excite  rather 


32  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

than  allay  the  thirst  of  the  natural  man  after 
true  happiness,  or  at  best  leave  him  unsat 
isfied  ;  the  grace  of  Christ,  in  renewing  and 
sanctifying  the  soul,  leads  it  to  the  true  foun 
tain  of  bliss,  and  compels  it  in  the  fulness  of 
satisfaction  to  exclaim,  "I  have  found  it,  I 
have  found  it."  And  this  source  of  happiness 
is  not  far  off,  for  it  is  within  and  not  without 
its  possessor.  "It  shall  be'  in  him  a  well  of 
water."  He  carries  the  spring  about  with 
him.  Hence  it  is  said,  "  The  good  man  shall 
be  satisfied  from  himself."  And  it  is  also 
abundant,  an  unfailing  source,  a  constant 
supply,  a  well  ever  accessible  and  never  -dry. 
But  it  is  not  merely  the  satisfying,  but  the  pro 
gressive  nature  of  true  religion  which  is  here 
represented.  It  is  a  beautiful  image — not  a 
stagnant  pool,  nor  a  well  so  deep  as  that  its 
waters  cannot  rise  ;  but  a  spring  whose  spark 
ling  and  gushing  ebullitions  shall  be  ever 
bubbling  up,  and  forming  an  ever-living  foun 
tain  that  flows  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  in 
heat  or  cold,  and  in  all  the  circumstances  of 
the  weather,  whether  foul  or  fair,  wet  or  dry. 
Religion  always  lives,  always  shows  its  beau- 


NECESSITY  OF  PROGRESS.  33 

ties,  and  amidst  all  changes  of  external  cir 
cumstances.  But  this  inward  spring  of  grace 
in  the  soul  is  represented  as  rising  higher  and 
higher  and  never  stopping  till  it  reaches  eternal 
life  ;  swelling  into  a  stream  which  refreshes 
others  in  its  course  to  eternity,  making  all 
around  it  fruitful  and  pleasant;  just  like  a 
river  flowing  through  a  country,  which  irri 
gates  the  land  and  covers  it  on  every  hand 
with  fertility  and  beauty. 

I  ask,  Is  this  descriptive  of  our  religion  ?  Do 
we  know  any  thing  of  this  indwelling  of  the 
Spirit  of  G-od ;  this  inward  supply  from  a  di 
vine  source  of  sanctity  and  bliss ;  these  holy 
ebullitions  of  sanctified  feeling ;  this  rising  up 
of  an  inward  principle  to  a  divine  source,  an 
element  of  life  issuing  from  the  parent  fountain, 
and  returning  to  its  primitive  source — a  some 
thing  godlike,  which  aspires  to  God — heavenly, 
which  aspires  to  heaven — eternal,  which  rests 
not  till  it  has  reached  the  eternal  ?  "What  of  all 
this  is  in  us  ?  Is  it  mystery,  or  plainness  to 
us?  It  is  immensely  important  that  we  give 
ourselves  time  and  leisure  to  inquire  into  this 
matter. 


34  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

The  next  illustration  I  borrow  is  that  which 
we  find  in  our  Lord's  language,  "  The  earth 
bringeth  forth  fruit  of  herself:  first  the  blade, 
then  the  ear,  after  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear." 
Mark  4 :  28.  This  language  is  rather  a  descrip 
tion  of  the  growth  of  grace  in  the  heart,  than, 
like  the  grain  of  mustard-seed,  of  the  advance 
ment  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  the  world.  It 
is  an  allusion  to  one  of  the  beautiful  develop 
ments  and  slow  processes  of  nature  in  regard  to 
vegetable  life.  How  gradually  does  the  princi 
ple  of  vitality  evolve,  its  first  germinating  being 
imperceptible  to  the  most  observant  eye.  Yet 
from  that  invisible  germ,  there  grows  up  at 
length  the  strong  and  verdant  blade.  Then  the 
ear  gently  and  gradually  comes  forth  from  its 
envelopments.  This,  under  the  genial  influence 
of  the  heavens  and  the  fertilizing  power  of  the 
earth,  swells  into  the  plump,  ripe  corn,  ready  for 
the  reaper's  sickle.  Instructive  and  beautiful 
emblem  of  that  more  precious  seed  of  the  word 
of  God  which  is  sown  in  the  heart  of  man  by 
Grod's  regenerating  work  !  It  is  at  first  small, 
feeble,  tender,  scarcely  perceptible,  like  the  first 
shoots  of  the  grain  in  the  earth.  It  may  be  the 


NECESSITY  OF  PROG-RESS.  35 

early  impressions  upon  a  child's  mind  listening 
to  his  mother's  gentle  admonition  and  familiar 
instruction.  Or  it  may  be  a  conviction  lodged 
in  the  soul  under  some  melting  or  alarming 
sermon.  Or  it  may  be  a  serious  reflection  oc 
casioned  by  some  painful  visitation  of  Provi 
dence.  God  has  various  methods  of  entering 
by  his  grace  into  the  soul  of  the  unconverted  sin 
ner.  The  seed  may  lie  long  like  the  grain  in 
the  earth  before  any  sign  of  vegetable  life  is  per 
ceptible,  yet  all  this  while  the  vital  process  may 
be  going  on.  At  length  it  rises  above  the  ground 
and  growth  is  visible,  which  continues  till  the 
result  already  described  is  apparent.  But  like 
that,  in  its  earlier  stages  it  needs  the  greatest 
watchfulness  and  care,  for  it  is  peculiarly  sus 
ceptible  of  injury  and  destruction. 

The  last  illustration  I  take  up  is  that  of  a 
RACE.  "  The  most  splendid  solemnities  which 
ancient  history  hath  transmitted  to  us  were  the 
Olympic  games.  Historians,  orators,  and  poets 
abound  with  references  to  them,  and  their  sub- 
limest  imagery  is  borrowed  from  these  renowned 
exercises.  The  games  were  solemnized  every 
fifth  year  by  an  infinite  concourse  of  people  from 


36  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

almost  all  parts  of  the  world.  They  were 
observed  with  the  greatest  pomp  and  magnifi 
cence  ;  hecatombs  of  victims  were  slain  in  hon 
or  of  the  heathen  deities,  and  Elis  was  a  scene 
of  universal  festivity  and  joy.  "We  find  that  the 
most  formidable  and  opulent  sovereigns  of  those 
times  were  competitors  for  the  Olympic  crown. 
Even  the  lords  of  imperial  Rome  and  emperors 
of  the  world  entered  their  names  among  the 
candidates,  and  contended  for  the  envied  palm ; 
judging  their  felicity  completed,  and  the  career 
of  all  human  glory  and  greatness  happily  ter 
minated,  if  they  could  but  interweave  the  Olym 
pic  garland  with  the  laurels  they  had  purchased 
in  the  fields  of  war."  Alas  for  the  littleness  of 
earthly  ambition  and  the  narrow  range  of  hu 
man  vanity !  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that 
an  institute  so  celebrated  should  be  employed 
by  the  sacred  writers  to  illustrate  the  sublimer 
objects  which  they  had  to  propose,  and  to  stim 
ulate  the  desires  which  they  were  anxious  to 
awaken.  Hence  the  impressive  language  of  the 
apostle :  "  Know  ye  not  that  they  which  run 
in  a  race  run  all,  but  one  receiveth  the  prize  ? 
So  run,  that  ye  may  obtain.  And  every  man 


NECESSITY  OF   PROGRESS.  37 

that  striveth  for  the  mastery  is  temperate  in  all 
things.  Now  they  do  it  to  obtain  a  corrupt 
ible  crown ;  but  we  an  incorruptible."  1  Cor. 
9  :  24,  25.  No  subject  could  be  more  familiar 
than  this  to  the  minds  of  the  Corinthians,  who 
were  often  spectators  of  similar  games  celebrat 
ed  upon  the  isthmus  on  which  their  city  was 
situated,  and  hence  denominated  the  Isthmian. 
Among  these  games  the  foot-race  sustained  a 
distinguished  place.  To  this,  express  allusion 
is  made  by  the  apostle  in  writing  to  the  He 
brews,  among  whom  these  national  festivi 
ties  had  been  introduced  by  Herod  the  Great. 
"  "Wherefore  seeing  we  also  are  compassed  about 
with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so 
easily  beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience 
the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto  Jesus 
the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith."  Heb. 
12  :  1,  2.  Every  expression  in  these  two  pas 
sages  is  allusive  and  instructive.  The  enrolled 
competitor  underwent  for  several  months — like 
the  men  who  engage  in  those  disgraceful  feats, 
our  prize  fights — a  rigid  system  of  physical 
training.  Hence  the  expression,  "  He  that  striv 


38  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

eth  for  the  mastery  is  temperate  in  all  things" 
The  candidates  \vere  obliged  to  keep  in  the 
course  marked  out,  and  to  observe  all  the  rules 
prescribed;  wherefore  it  is  said,  "If  a  man 
strive  for  masteries,  yet  is  he  not  crowned  ex 
cept  he  strive-  lawfully^  2  Tim.  2  :  5.  The 
racers  laid  aside  their  garments  and  ran  nearly 
naked.  Hence  the  exhortation,  "Let  us  lay 
aside  every  weight  " — every  unnecessary  care, 
every  lust  both  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind — 
•"and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily  beset  us." 
The  race  was  carried  on  amidst  an  immense 
crowd  of  spectators  ;  hence  the  language,  "We 
also  are  compassed  about  with  so  great  a  cloud 
of  witnesses."  The  prize  was  merely  honorary, 
consisting  only  of  a  chaplet  of  leaves,  which 
withered  ere  it  was  worn ;  hence  it  is  said, 
"They  do  it  to  obtain  a  corruptible  crown,  but 
we  an  incorruptible"  How  finely  does  this 
illustrate  that  sublime  passage  in  the  epistle  to 
the  Philippians  :  "  Not  as  though  I  had  already 
attained,  either  were  already  perfect ;  but  I  fol 
low  after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which 
also  I  am  apprehended  of  Jesus  Christ.  Breth 
ren,  I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended ; 


NECESSITY  OF  PROGRESS.  39 

"but  this  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  those  things 
which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those 
things  which  are  before,  I  press  toward  the 
mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus."  Phil.  3  : 12,  14.  Every  term 
here  employed  refers  to  the  ancient  foot-race, 
and  the  whole  passage  beautifully  represents 
the  ardor  which  fired  the  competitors  when 
engaged  in  the  contest. 

Such,  and  so  impressive  is  the  description 
given  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  Scriptures, 
of  the  nature  of  religion — of  the  Christian  life  ; 
and  it  is  sufficient  to  make  all  somewhat 
anxious  about  their  own  state,  and  to  reveal 
the  utter  worthlessness  and  hollo wness  of  the 
pretensions  of  many  to  the  possession  of  true 
piety.  Does  not  this  illustrative  figure  set 
forth  more  forcibly  and  vividly  than  any  mere 
language  could  do,  that  the  Christian  life  is  a 
state  of  self-denial,  intense  desire,  deep  so 
licitude  ;  of  strenuous,  unr emitted,  unwearied 
action ;  and  of  constant  progress  ?  How  was 
the  soul  of  the  racer  filled  and  fired  with  the 
hope  of  success ;  how  patiently  were  the 
necessary  privations  borne ;  how  was  every 


40  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

muscle  strained,  and  the  speed  quickened  to 
the  uttermost,  "by  the  fear  of  defeat  and  the 
prospect  of  victory.  Reader,  whosoever  you 
are  whose  eye  shall  wander  over  these  pages, 
pause,  I  beseech  you,  and  ponder  this  subject. 
This  is  the  inspired  description  of  religion,  and 
must  therefore  be  the  correct  one.  Does  your 
religion  answer  to  this  ?  Know  you  aught  of 
such  solicitude  for  the  salvation  of  your  soul, 
such  labor  to  attain  it,  as  are  implied  in  this 
representation  ?  Is  your  religion  really  a  race  ? 
Does  your  eye  often  gaze  upon  the  crown  of 
life,  and  your  bosom  swell  with  the  mighty 
aspiration  after  glory,  honor,  and  immortality  ? 
Oh,  do  not  deceive  yourself.  Look  at  this, 
there  is  something  more  than  profession  here  ; 
something  more  than  the  easy  and  careless 
bearing  of  the  Christian  name  which  many 
exhibit. 

But  it  is  PROGRESS  that  the  subject  leads  us 
now  especially  to  contemplate.  The  racer  was 
not  only  in  action,  but  in  progress.  It  was 
with  him  not  merely  bounding  off  with  a 
vigorous  start,  nor  exerting  himself  to  the 
uttermost  of  his  strength  for  a  part  of  tho 


NECESSITY  OF  PHOG-RESS.  41 

» 

course,  but  a  continual  going  onwards.  Hence 
the  beautiful  language  of  the  apostle,  "  For 
getting  the  things  that  are  behind,  and  reach 
ing  forth  unto  those  which  are  before."  One 
who  was  running  in  the  ancient  race  would 
not  stop  to  look  back  to  see  how  much  ground 
he  had  run  over,  or  which  of  his  companions 
had  fallen  or  lingered  on  the  way.  He  would 
keep  his  eye  fixed  on  the  goal  and  the  prize, 
and  strain  every  nerve  to  reach  them.-  If  his 
attention  were  diverted  for  a  single  moment,  it 
might  hinder  his  speed  and  might  be  the 
means  of  his  losing  the  crown.  Onward,  on 
ward,  was  the  mighty  impulse  which  stimu 
lated  him  in  his  course.  So  was  it  with  the 
apostle.  He  fixed  his  eye  intently  on  the  prize 
and  allowed  no  past  attainments  as  a  Christian, 
or  success  as  a  minister,  to  make  him  linger 
on  the  way.  So  must  it  be  with  us.  No 
measure  of  knowledge,  of  faith,  or  holiness, 
must  satisfy  us,  but  we  must  be  ever  making 
advances  in  the  divine  life. 

Thirdly,  if  any  thing  more  be  necessary  to 
convince  us  of  the  necessity  of  progress,  con 
sider  scriptural  REBUKES.  How  often  did  our 


42  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

Lord  reprove  his  disciples  for  the  infantine- 
feebleness  of  their  faith ;  and  with  what  just 
severity  did  the  apostle  reproach  the  believing 
Hebrews  for  their  want  of  progress.  "  When," 
said  he,  "for  the  time  ye  ought  to  be  teachers, 
ye  have  need  that  one  teach  you  again  which 
be  the  first  principles  of  the  oracles  of  Grod ; 
and  have  become  such  as  have  need  of  milk, 
and  not  of  strong  meat."  Heb.  5  : 12.  Could 
any  thing  be  more  reproachful  of  their  culpable 
negligence,  their  shameful  indolence,  their 
voluntary  backwardness  in  seeking  after  divine 
knowledge  ?  They  were  babes  when  they 
ought  to  have  been,  and  might  have  been,  of 
full  and  matured  strength.  They  were  con 
tent  with  the  very  rudiments  of  Christianity, 
the  alphabet  of  religion.  It  satisfied  them  just 
to  have  light  enough  .to  grope  after  salvation, 
and  to  walk  on  in  dim  twilight.  Alas,  alas, 
how  many  are  like  them.  How  many  are  con 
tent  with  the  veriest  elements  of  knowledge 
and  experience.  Talk  with  them,  observe  them 
years  after  they  have  made  a  profession  of  relig 
ion,  and  you  will  find  them  possessed  of  only 
the  crudest  notions  and  the  most  unsettled 


NECESSITY  OF  PROGRESS.  43 

feelings.  They  are  no -further  on  in  the  divine 
life  than  they  were  ,*  yea,  they  have  gone  back. 
Read  also  the  pungent  rebukes  of  our  Lord 
to  the  churches  in  the  Apocalypse.  He  thus 
addresses  the  church  at  Ephesus.  "I  know 
thy  works,  and  thy  labor,  and  thy  patience, 
and  how  thou  canst  not  bear  them  which  are 
evil ;  and  thou  hast  tried  them  which  say  they 
are  apostles  and  are  not,  and  hast  found  them 
liars :  and  hast  borne,  and  hast  patience,  and 
for  my  name's  sake  hast  labored,  and  hast 
not  fainted."  How  exalted  a  character  ;  how 
rich  a  piety ;  how  fine  an  eulogium !  Surely 
there  is  nothing  here  to  condemn.  Yes,  there 
is.  Mark  what  follows.  "  Nevertheless,  I 
have  somewhat  against  thee,  because  thou  hast 
left  thy  first  love."  See  that.  Dwell  upon  it. 
No  attainments,  no  eminence  can  compensate 
for  a  decline  of  "  first  love."  Christ  will  allow 
no  plea  of  extenuation  to  be  put  in  ;  much  less 
any  defence  to  be  set  up.  Hence  what  follows, 
"  Remember,  therefore,  from  whence  thou  art 
fallen,  and  repent,  and  do  thy  first  works ;  or 
else  I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and  will 
remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  his  place,  except 


44  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

thou  repent."  Rev.  2  :  5.  But  perhaps  it  will 
be  said,  all  that  Christ  required  in  this  case 
was  that  they  should  only  recover  lost  ground, 
return  to  their  former  state,  and  continue  as 
they  were.  Ah,  hut  what  must  have  been 
their  first  love,  when  their  diminished  affection 
was  so  great  ?  "What  must  have  been  their 
first  works,  when  their  secondary  ones  were  so 
signal?  And  moreover  the  rebuke  did  not 
necessarily  imply  that  they  were  to  be  satisfied 
with  even  this.  They  had  declined  just  be 
cause  they  had  neglected  to  advance,  and  it 
was  therefore  strongly  implied  that  they  must 
advance  in  order  that  they  might  not  again 
recede. 

If  these  things  do  not  prove  the  necessity  of 
progress,  it  is  hopeless  to  prove  any  thing. 
"We  should  give  to  them  their  due  weight  and 
act  under  their  influence. 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  READER. 

You  have  now  learnt  from  the  word  of  God 
the  necessity  of  progress  ?  "What  think  you  of 
it  ?  Has  it  ever  thus  occurred  to  you  before  ? 
Does  it  strike  you  now?  Can  you  deny  or 


NECESSITY  OF  PROGRESS.  45 

doubt  this  necessity  ?  Can  you  be  indifferent 
to  it,  or  trifle  with  it  ?  Perhaps  you  have  over 
looked  it.  You  have  never  entered  into  the 
subject ;  but  have  had  all  your  attention 
directed,  and  all  your  solicitude  awakened  to 
make  a  good  beginning,  a  public  profession,  a 
favorable  start.  But  is  this  all  that  is  neces 
sary  ?  Does  this  answer  to  the  description  of 
religion,  as  a  race,  a  spring,  a  growing  child, 
or  tree  ?  Can  you  really  satisfy  yourself  that 
your  religion  is  real,  if  it  be  unattended  with  a 
conviction  that  it  should  be  progressive  ?  Do, 
do  study  afresh,  I  beseech  you,  the  representa 
tions  given  in  this  chapter.  Ask  yourself  the 
one  question,  "  Am  I  laying  aside  every  weight, 
and  the  sin  that  does  so  easily  beset  me,  and 
so  running  the  race  that  is  set  before  me  as  to 
obtain  the  prize  of  eternal  glory  ?"  Are  you  ? 
Is  there  that  intense  desire  after  the  crown, 
that  vigorous  effort  to  obtain  it,  that  eager 
hope  to  receive  it,  which  shall  impel  you 
onward  with  the  speed  of  the  ancient  racer  ? 
Oh,  are  you  convinced  that  it  is  not  a  faint 
endeavor,  but  a  mighty  conflict,  that  must  gain 
eternal  life  ?  Are  you  saying  to  yourself,  "I 


46  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

must  forget  the  things  that  are  behind,  and 
press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  my 
high  calling?  I  cannot  be  satisfied  to  bo 
always  as  I  am.  I  pant  to  be  holier."  Again, 
I  say,  pause  and  pray.  Read  no  more  till  you 
have  entered  your  closet  and  have  put  up  the 
prayer  of  faith  for  a  deeper  conviction  of  the 
necessity  of  progress. 


NATURE   OF  PROGRESS.  47 

CHAPTER    II. 

NATURE   OF  PROGRESS. 

WHAT  is  it  to  make  progress  in  religion? 
Progress  is  not  only  action,  but  moving  onward. 
A  door  turning  upon  its  hinges  is  in  a  state 
of  motion,  but  it  never  advances.  A  chariot 
moving  upon  wheels  is  not  only  in  action,  but 
goes  onward.  The  conduct  of  some  persons 
in  religion  resembles  the  former — there  is 
action,  but  no  advancement ;  they  move,  but 
it  is  on  hinges,  not  on  wheels.  They  go 
through,  perhaps,  even  with  regularity,  the 
exercises  of  devotion,  both  public  and  private. 
They  may  be  mechanically  exact  and  punc 
tual,  still  they  do  not  go  forward. 

There  are  two  ways  of  setting  forth  the 
nature  of  progress.  First,  by  representing 
the  young  convert  retaining  his  first  views, 
feelings,  and  conduct  with  consistency  after 
his  profession  has  been  made,  and  then  carry 
ing  them  with  him  into  future  life  and  all  its 
various  conditions,  scenes,  duties,  and  rela- 


48  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

tions.  Life  itself  is  progressive  and  ever 
changing.  Imagine  the  case  of  a  youth  who 
receives  his  first  religious  impressions,  and 
assumes  the  religious  character  while  at  home 
with  his  parents.  To  prepare  for  future  life, 
ho  leaves  his  father's  house  either  as  an 
apprentice  or  a  shopman.  In  too  many  cases, 

•  a  change  of  scene  produces  a  change  of  char 
acter  ;  and  religion,  under  the  influence  of  the 
unfavorable  circumstances  in  which  he  may 
now  "be  placed,  or  by  the  power  of  temptation, 
declines,  if  it  be  not  altogether  abandoned. 
But  in  the  case  I  am  supposing,  the  youth 
holds  fast  his  integrity,  and  amidst  irreligious 
and  scoffing  companions  maintains  his  stead 
fastness  and  consistency.  He  bears  opposition 
and  insult  with  firmness,  fortitude,  and  meek- 

\ness.  Here  is  progress.  There  may  be  no 
great  increase  of  knowledge  or  of  holiness, 
but  what  he  had  has  been  exposed  to  hard 
trials  and  has  surmounted  them,  and  this 
itself  is  growth,  and  great  growth  too.  So  of 
a  daughter  who  remains  at  home  :  her  profes 
sion  may  have  been  assumed  when  very 
young,  before  her  heart  was  susceptible  of 


NATURE  OF  PROGRESS.  49 

the  corrupting  influence  of  the  world.  The 
time  arrives  when  the  child  passes  into  the 
girl  and  the  girl  into  the  young  woman.  In 
this  transition,  when  she  feels  the  desire  of 
companionship,  when  her  society  is  courted, 
and  she  is  invited  to  parties  and  amusements, 
we  often  see  sad  instances  of  declension. 
Seriousness  is  gone,  and  little  else  than  a  mere 
profession  is  left.  But  in  the  case  of  real 
progress,  the  purpose  to  serve  the  Lord  is 
unmoved,  the  resolve  to  come  out  from  the 
world  and  be  separate  is  unshaken.  There  is 
the  same  earnestness,  seriousness,  and  decision 
as  ever.  Company,  flattery,  publicity,  produce 
no  alteration  of  conduct  or  character.  There 
is  a  solicitude,  not  how  nearly  she  can  come 
to  the  world  and  yet  not  be  of  it,  but  how 
far  she  may  recede  from  it  without  affected 
singularity,  unnecessary  precision,  or  a  viola 
tion  of  the  courtesies  of  life.  She  is  the  same 
simple-minded  Christian,  the  same  decided 
follower  of  the  Lamb,  amidst  the  development 
of  womanhood  as  she  was  in  her  teens.  This 
is  progress,  great  progress.  To  retain  her  first 
love  amidst  this  change  of  circumstances  is  an 

Chr  Prog.  4 


50  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

advance,  because  it  has  been  put  to  a  new 
test,  and  has  honorably  passed  the  ordeal. 

A  similar  remark  may  be  made  in  reference 
to  the  influence  of  our  religion  on  the  different 
relations  of  life.  When  young  people  who 
have  parents  living,  are  converted  to  Grod,  it  is 
of  course  their  duty  to  let  their  religion  influ 
ence  them  as  children.  Religion  is  not  only 
to  make  us  better  towards  God,  but  better 
towards  man  ;  and  he  who  is  really  made 
better  towards  God,  will  infallibly  be  made 
better  towards  man ;  and  if  we  are  not  im 
proved  in  our  conduct  towards  our  fellow- 
creatures,  there  is  a  moral  certainty  we  are 
not  improved  towards  our  Creator.  There  is 
progress  when  the  great  change  is  proved  by 
persons  being  made  better  husbands  or  wives, 
better  parents  or  children,  better  masters  or 
servants.  It  is  a  beautiful  growth  of  godli 
ness,  when  social  excellence  and  all  its  blessed 
fruits  are  seen  springing  out  of  the  stem  of 
piety.  Oh,  to  see  the  prodigal  son  brought 
back  by  religion  to  his  father's  arms  and  home  ; 
or  the  unkind  and  unfaithful  husband  won 
back  by  his  piety  to  the  woman  whom  he  had 


NATURE  OF  PROORESS.  51 

oppressed  and  insulted ;  or  the  faithless  ser 
vant,  like  Onesimus,  reclaimed  by  his  conver 
sion  from  dishonesty  and  injustice.  Show  me 
the  professing  Christian  whose  social  character 
is  as  unlovely  after  profession  as  it  was  before, 
and  though  there  may  be  an  increase  of 
knowledge  and  of  some  other  things  connected 
with  religion,  there  is  no  progress. 

Then,  when  the  youth  arrives  at  manhood, 
and  carries  his  religion  with  him  also  into 
business,  and  amidst  all  its  cares,  temptations, 
and  perplexities,  holds  fast  his  personal  godli 
ness  and  unites  the  Christian  tradesman  with 
the  Christian  professor,  letting  his  light  so 
shine  before  men  that  they  seeing  his  good 
works  glorify  God,  there  is  progress  ;  for  alas, 
alas,  how  many  who,  while  in  the  capacity  of 
a  servant,  maintain  a  conscience  void  of  offence 
both  towards  (rod  and  man,  and  keep  up  a 
regard  to  the  one  thing  needful,  lose  nearly 
all  the  power  of  religion,  either  as  a  principle 
or  a  taste,  when  plunged  into  the  anxieties 
and  snares  of  trade. 

Have  not  many  women  who,  while  young 
and  unmarried,  and  unencumbered  with  do- 


52  CHRISTIAN  PROCURESS. 

mestic  cares,  were  earnest  in  piety,  become 
careless,  lukewarm,  and  indifferent,  when  sur 
rounded  with  the  scenes  and  occupied  with  the 
solicitudes  of  a  wife,  a  mother,  and  a  mistress  ? 
This,  however,  is  not  always  the  case,  as  our 
biography  of  pious  women  can  amply  testify. 
It  is  a  beautiful  sight  to  behold  a  young  wife 
and  mother  retaining  her  attention  to  religion 
in  all  its  earnestness  and  spirituality,  and  thus 
qualifying  herself  for  her  new  situation  by  all 
the  power  of  that  godliness  which  she  gained 
in  single  life.  Here  is  eminent  progress. 

Then  what  vicissitudes  affect  us  in  this  world. 
Some  are  raised  to  prosperity  from  low  circum 
stances,  and  lose  their  religion  by  little  and 
little  in  the  ascension,  till  it  is  all  gone  by 
the  time  they  reach  the  summit.  Rarely  has  it 
happened  that  men  have  not  been  the  worse  for 
prosperity ;  rarer  still,  that  they  have  been  the 
better  for  it.  "What  an  advance  in  godliness  has 
he  made,  who  retains  his  decision,  his  earnest 
ness,  his  spirituality,  his  humility,  amidst  the 
rising  tide  of  wealth,  and  who  is  the  same  man 
in  spirit  after  his  success  as  he  was  before  it. 

And  so  with  adversity :  to  bear  it  with  meek 


NATURE   OF  pmjSpCESS.  II  ^5£T  1> 

submission  to  the  will  of  dSod  ;  to  endure  chas 
tisement  with  all  long-suffering  and  joy  fulness ; 
to  appear  cheerful  amidst  surrounding  gloom, 
hopeful  amidst  desponding  circumstances,  hap 
py  in  God  when  there  is  nothing  else  to  make 
us  happy :  he  who  does  this  has  indeed  made 
great  advances  in  the  divine  life. 

But  perhaps  what  we  have  hitherto  con 
sidered  does  not  so  completely  bring  out  the 
idea  of  progress  as  another  method  of  repre 
sentation,  since  it  is  rather  the  progress  of  the 
Christian  with  religion,  than  in  it — the  reten 
tion  and  manifestation  of  piety  in  various  situ 
ations,  rather  than  the  increase  of  piety  itself. 
Still  it  is  a  necessary  and  most  important  part 
of  the  subject.  "We  now  therefore  take  up  this 
latter  view  of  the  subject. 

There  ought  to  be  a  growth  in  every  thing 
that  constitutes  personal  godliness.  And  as 
all  true  religion  is  based  on  KNOWLEDGE,  there 
should  be  an  increase  of  this.  Defects  here,  as 
we  have  already  shown,  were  the  occasion  of 
the  apostle's  rebuke  to  the  Hebrews.  The  in 
crease  of  knowledge  was  much  in  the  apostle's 
prayers  for  the  churches.  Ephes.  1 : 17-23  ; 


54  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

3  : 18,  19  ;  Phil.  1:9;  Col.  1:9.  In  all  these 
passages,  to  which  it  is  hoped  you  will  turn,  you 
will  see  how  earnest  St.  Paul  was  that  his 
converts  should  advance  in  knowledge.  Apart 
from,  or  without  this,  there  can  be  but  slow 
advances  in  any  thing  else.  This  is  clear  from 
the  apostle's  exhortation,  "  Grow  in  grace  and 
in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Je 
sus  Christ."  Thus  you  see  growth  in  grace  and 
growth  in  knowledge  are  inseparably  connected. 
Light  is  essentially  necessary  to  natural  vege 
tation  ;  so  it  is  to  that  which  is  spiritual.  Young 
converts  are  sometimes  so  taken  up  with  re 
ligious  feeling  and  doing •,  as  to  forget  the  im 
portance,  even  in  reference  to  these,  of  knowing. 
By  a  growth  in  knowledge,  then,  we  mean  an 
increasing  understanding  of  the  contents,  and 
their  true  meaning,  of  the  word  of  God  ;  a  real 
advance  in  acquaintance  with  biblical  truth. 
Not  only  an  acquaintance  with  systems  of  relig 
ious  opinion,  but  with  the  design  and  meaning 
of  the  books  and  chapters  and  texts  of  Scrip 
ture  ;  an  ever-growing  disposition  and  ability  to 
read  the  sacred  word  with  intelligence,  discrim 
ination,  and  self-application. 


NATURE  OF  PROORESS.  55 

There  are  three  or  four  matters  which  may 
be  considered  the  very  substance  of  the  Bible, 
and  with  which  every  Christian  should  make 
himself  as  familiar  as  his  time  and  circumstan 
ces  will  allow.  The  Person  and  work  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  (rod,  man,  Mediator, 
or  "  Grod  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  him 
self,"  is  the  grand  peculiarity  of  the  Bible.  It 
was  dimly  shadowed  forth  under  the  Old  Tes 
tament,  and  is  clearly  revealed  in  the  New. 
Christ  is  the  alpha  and  omega  of  revelation  ; 
you  cannot  understand  the  Bible  if  you  are  ig 
norant  of  this.  The  true  and  proper  divinity  ot 
Christ's  person  is  the  corner-stone  of  Christian 
doctrine.  Compare  Psalm  102 :  25-27,  with 
Heb.  1 : 10  ;  Psalm  45 :  6,  with  Heb.  1:8;  Isa 
iah  6,  with  John  12  :  37-41 ;  Isaiah  45  :  23,  24, 
with  Rom.  14  :  9-11.  Read  also,  Matt.  18 :  20 ; 
John  1 : 1, 10-14 ;  8 : 56-58 ;  10  :  30 ;  14  :  8-10  ; 
17:5;  20:28;  Rom.  9:5;  Phil.  2:5-11; 
Col.  1 : 16  ;  2 :  9  ;  1  Tim.  3:16;  Heb.  1 ;  1  John, 
5  :  20  ;  Rev.  1.  These  are  only  a  portion  of  the 
scriptures  that  testify  the  true  and  proper  di 
vinity  of  our  Lord.  Do  give  yourselves  time 
and  leisure  to  turn  to  them,  to  study  them,  to 


56  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

treasure  them  up  in  your  mind.  But  it  is  Christ 
as  Mediator,  also  you  are  to  consider,  uniting 
in  a  way  we  cannot  comprehend  the  divine  and 
human  nature  in  his  one  glorious  person.  As 
Mediator,  he  died  in  the  sinner's  stead  as  his 
substitute,  and  by  his  death  upon  the  cross 
made  an  atonement  for  the  sinner's  transgres 
sion.  How  clearly,  how  gloriously,  how  unan 
swerably  does  the  doctrine  of  atonement  shine 
forth  in  that  wonderful  passage,  Rom.  3 :  24-26. 
There,  propitiation,  which  is  the  same  in  mean 
ing  as  atonement,  is  declared  to  be  the  very 
end  of  Christ's  incarnation  and  death.  Three 
times,  in  the  compass  of  two  verses,  is  it  de 
clared,  that  the  demonstration  of  God's  justice 
is  the  end  of  Christ's  sufferings  unto  death. 
The  whole  gospel  scheme  is  a  manifestation  of 
mercy  in  a  way  of  righteousness.  In  redemp 
tion,  God  shows  love  to  us  in  a  way  that  eclipses 
neither  the  glory  of  his  character,  his  laws,  nor 
his  government.  Understand  well  the  design 
of  Christ's  death,  of  that  mysterious  economy  of 
a  vicarious  sacrifice — that  it  was  to  harmonize 
the  salvation  of  the  sinner  with  the  honor  of  God, 
and  this  could  only  be  done  by  an  atonement. 


NATURE   OF  PROGRESS.  57 

At  the  same  time  understand  well  the  doctrine 
of  atonement.  This  means,  that  Jesus  Christ 
having  died  in  the  place  and  stead  of  guilty 
man,  it  is  for  the  sake  and  out  of  regard  to  his 
death  as  the  meritorious  consideration  that  God 
pardons  the  sinner ;  and  that  by  this  scheme  of 
divine  wisdom  and  mercy,  the  same  purpose 
in  regard  to  justice  and  to  the  maintenance  of 
the  principles  of  moral  government  will  be  ac 
complished,  as  the  punishment  of  the  sinner 
would  have  done.  And  it  is  in  this  view  that 
we  see  the  connection  between  the  divinity  of 
Christ  and  the  doctrine  of  atonemorit.  The  sac 
rifice  of  one  who  was  a  mere  ma.j,  or  a  creature 
however  highly  exalted,  could  not  be  as  clear  a 
display  of  God's  public  justice  as  the  punish 
ment  of  the  whole  multitude  of  pardoned  sin 
ners  would  have  been.  There  was  required  a 
sacrifice  of  a  very  peculiar  nature.  Here  we 
have  it,  in  Christ.  He  was  truly  and  properly 
man  that  he  might  suffer  and  die,  which  God 
could  not  do  ;  he  was  God,  and  thus  the  suffer 
ings  of  the  manhood  acquired  from  his  divinity 
a  character  of  infinite  merit  and  worth.  For 
a  proof  of  this  doctrine  we  refer  you  to  Isaiah 


58  CHRISTIAN  PROaRESS. 

53 — to  the  whole  Levitical  law  as  compared 
with  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  especially  to 
Leviticus  16,  compared  with  Heb.  9, 10.  Read 
also  Matt.  20  :  28  ;  Rom.  5  :  9  to  end  ;  1  Cor. 
15  :  3  ;  2  Cor.  5  :  21 ;  1  Peter,  1 : 18,  20 ;  2  :  24 ; 
1  John,  4  : 10  ;  Rev.  1 :  5.  These  scriptures  are 
only  a  few  of  what  might  be  selected  to  set 
forth  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement — a  doctrine 
not  only  momentous  as  an  article  of  faith,  but 
infinitely  precious  as  a  basis  of  hope. 

Another  subject  which  it  is  immensely  im 
portant  for  a  young  Christian  to  understand  is, 
God's  method  of  bestowing  the  blessings  of 
salvation  upon  the  sinner — that  is,  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith.  Who  are  the  per 
sons  that  will  receive  salvation,  and  what  is  the 
way  in  which  they  receive  it  ?  This  has  been 
plainly  set  forth  in  the  former  treatise — I 
mean  "  The  Anxious  Inquirer  after  Salvation." 
By  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  we 
mean,  that  when  a  sinner  is  convinced  of  his 
transgression,  is  truly  penitent,  and  believes  in 
the  testimony  of  the  gospel  that  "  God  so  Ibved 
the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
that  whosoever  belie veth  in  him  should  not 


NATURE  OF  PROGRESS.  59 

perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,"  he  is  pardon 
ed,  received  to  the  divine  favor,  and  entitled 
to  eternal  life,  not  on  account  of  his  own  senti 
ments,  feelings,  actions,  or  any  thing  of  his 
own,  but  entirely  for  the  sake  of  the  blood  and 
righteousness  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which 
are  in  such  sense  imputed  to  him  that  he  re 
ceives  the  full  benefit  o£  them  as  if  they  were 
his  own.  Justification  by  faith  is  the  answer 
to  that  momentous  question,  "  How  shall  man 
be  just  with  God  ?"  And  the  reply  is,  not  by 
works  of  his  own,  but  by  faith  in  the  work  of 
another,  that  is,  Christ.  He  must  have  a  right 
eousness  in  which  to  stand  before  a  righteous 
and  a  holy,  as  well  as  a  merciful  God.  He  has 
no  such  righteousness  of  his  own.  "  Christ  is 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  unto  him." 
u  He  of  God  is  made  unto  him  righteousness." 
This  is  justification,  the  same  in  substance  as 
pardon,  with  this  difference,  that  the  word 
pardon  simply  expresses  only  the  blessing  we 
receive,  while  the  word  justification  includes 
the  idea  of  the  way  in  which  it  comes  to  us, 
that  is,  by  righteousness.  There  is  also  this 
difference  •  justification  signifies  our  entrance 


60  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

upon  the  state  of  pardon  or  adoption ;  pardon 
may  be  often  repeated  towards  one  who  is  in 
this  condition  of  acceptance. 

It  is  of  much  consequence  to  a  right  under- 
standing  of  divine  truth,  and  to  the  proper 
growth  in  knowledge  and  in  grace,  to  observe 
and  ever  maintain  the  distinction  between  jus 
tification  and  sanctifioation.  The  fall  brought 
in  two  evils  upon  man :  guilt  upon  his  con 
science,  whereby  he  lost  God's  favor,  and  be 
came  obnoxious  to  his  wrath ;  and  depravity 
into  his  nature,  whereby  he  lost  (rod's  image, 
and  became  earthly,  sensual,  and  devilish.  To 
be  restored  to  bliss,  in  other  words  to  be  saved, 
he  needs  to  have  his  guilt  pardoned  and  his 
nature  renewed.  This  is  provided  for  in  the 
gospel  scheme  of  redemption.  By  the  blood  and 
righteousness  of  Christ,  our  sins  are  pardoned ; 
and  by  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  our  hearts 
are  renewed,  our  nature  changed,  and  our  lives 
sanctified.  The  work  of  the  Spirit  begins  in 
regeneration,  and  is  carried  on  in  progressive 
sanctification.  The  difference,  therefore,  be 
tween  justification  and  sanctification  is  very 
great  and  obvious,  and  must  ever  be  maintained 


NATURE  OF  PROGRESS.  61 

in  our  views.  Justification  is  the  work  of  Christ 
for  us  ;  sanctification  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in 
us  :  justification  is  perfect  at  once  ;  sanctifica 
tion  is  progressive  :  justification  is  before  sancti 
fication,  and  sanctification  is  the  fruit  of  justi 
fication  ;  consequently  the  evidence  of  our  justi 
fication  is  in  our  sanctification.  The  first  joy 
and  peace  of  the  sinner  come  to  him  by  justi 
fication  ;  his  peace,  joy,  and  bliss  as  a  believer 
flow  in  great  measure  from  his  sanctification : 
justification  is  in  order  to  sanctification,  rather 
than  sanctification  in  order  to  justification. 
These  remarks  may  seem  to  some  to  be  mere 
theological  technicalities.  But  they  are  not  so. 
They  enter  into  the  very  vitalities  of  personal 
godliness.  For  the  study  of  the  doctrine  of  jus 
tification — and  it  ought  to  be  a  subject  of  study, 
deep  study  and  progressive  intelligence — the 
following  portions  of  Scripture  should  be  de 
voutly  perused :  Isaiah  43  ;  Jer.  33  : 15,  16  ; 
Rom.  3,  4,  5,  10 ;  1  Cor.  1 : 30,  31 ;  2  Cor. 
5:21]  Gal.  2,  3,  4 ;  Phil.  3. 

These  are  the  chief  matters  to  be  investigat 
ed  in  perusing  the  word  of  Grod.  Not  that  the 
attention  is  to  be  exclusively  confined  to  -these 


G2  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

subjects.  Nothing  in  the  Bible  is  unworthy 
the  attention  of  a  Christian.  The  ancient  and 
interesting  histories  of  the  hooks  of  Moses,  and 
the  subsequent  chronicles  of  the  Jewish  nation ; 
the  lofty  devotions  of  the  Psalmist ;  the  Prov 
erbs  of  Solomon ;  and  the  sublime  and  beauti 
ful  books  of  the  Prophets,  should  also  be  studi 
ed  ;  for  "  all  Scripture,"  and  this  expression  refers 
to  the  Old  Testament,  "  is  given  by  inspiration 
of  Grod,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof, 
for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness ; 
that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly 
furnished  unto  all  good  works."* 

It  is  not,  however,  in  the  doctrinal  or  his 
torical  parts  of  the  word  of  God  only,  that  the 
young  Christian  is  to  increase  his  knowledge. 
In  religion  there  is  nothing  purely  scientific : 
all,  all  is  practical.  Every  part  is  "  a  doctrine 
according  to  godliness."  It  is  declared,  in  the 
passage  just  quoted,  to  be  the  design  of  the 

*  I  know  of  no  volume  more  excellent  for  a  knowledge  of 
the  general  contents  of  the  Bible,  and  the  history  of  the  texts, 
than  "  Nicholl's  Help  to  the  Reading  of  the  Bible  ;"  except  it 
be  Home's  noble  work.  But  the  former  is  only  one  small 
volume,  whereas  the  latter  is  too  large  and  expensive,  except 
for  students  or  wealthy  Christians. 


NATURE  OF  PROGRESS.  63 

Bible  "that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect, 
thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works." 
Truth  is  but  a  means  to  an  end,  and  that  end 
is  holiness.  Every  one  of  us  ought  to  study 
our  Bibles  with  that  prayer  upon  our  lips, 
"  Sanctify  me  by  thy  truth ;  thy  word  is  truth." 
We  should  grow  in  our  knowledge  of  the  char 
acter  of  Grod,  that  we  may  resemble  it — in  the 
perfection  of  the  law,  that  we  may  be  con 
formed  to  it — in  the  example  of  Jesus,  that  we 
may  be  more  like  it.  There  should  be  a  con 
viction  that  we  are  not  yet  as  perfect  in  what 
we  do  know  as  we  should  be,  as  well  as  that 
there  is  much  yet  that  we  do  not  know.  A  de 
sire  to  know  merely  to  know,  is  curiosity ;  but 
a  desire  to  know  in  order  to  do,  is  sanctity. 

There  ought,  then,  to  be  progress  in  know 
ledge.  No  Christian  should  be  satisfied  with 
mere  rudiments.  And  yet  the  great  bulk  seek 
for  nothing  more.  It  is  really  humiliating  and 
painful  to  preachers  to  find  how  little,  in  the 
way  of  imparting  knowledge,  is  effected  by  all 
their  sermons.  No  students  seem  satisfied 
with  so  little  increase  of  ideas  as  those  who 
profess  to  be  in  the  school  of  Christ.  Useful- 


64  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

ness,  happiness,  and  true  religious  dignity  are 
thus  hindered.  And  not  only  so,  hut  religion 
itself  is  stunted  and  starved,  and  its  lustre 
diminished.  And  even  they  who  do  read  and 
think,  peruse  only,  or  chiefly,  the  works  of 
men.  Never  was  there  an  age  when  Bihles 
were  more  widely  circulated,  and  never  an  age 
when  by  many  who  possess  them  they  were 
less  read.  Magazines,  periodicals,  and  "books 
of  all  kinds  have  come  in  upon  us  like  a  flood, 
which  in  many  cases  has  almost  swept  away 
the  Bible.  After  all,  it  is  Bible  truth  from  its 
own  source  that  is  the  concentrated  nutriment 
of  the  divine  life  ;  and  it  will  be  found  that 
they  are  usually  the  strongest,  healthiest,  and 
most  rapidly  growing  of  the  children  of  God, 
who  live  most  upon  the  sincere,  that  is,  the 
pure  and  "  unadulterated  "  milk  of  the  word  of 
God.  The  works  of  men  are  very  useful  in 
their  place  when  they  lead  us  to  the  word  of 
G-od,  but  too  many  persons  allow  themselves 
to  be  kept  away  by  them  from  the  fountains  of 
pure  truth.  For  the  growth  of  the  church  of 
God  generally,  it  needs  to  be  led  back  more 
to  the  sacred  Scriptures. 


NATURE   OF  PROGRESS.  65 

DECISION  OF  CHARACTER  must  be  strengthened. 
At  first  many  a  true  Christian  is  a  little  hesi 
tating  and  halting.  His  opinions  are  fluctuat 
ing.  His  purposes  are  irresolute.  His  steps 
are  faltering.  He  is  timid ;  afraid  of  the 
laughter  of  some,  and  the  frowns  of  others. 
He  is  fearful  of  being  made  the  subject  of 
remark,  and  especially  of  critical  and  cynical 
remark.  He  cannot  encounter  reproach  ;  and 
is  not  yet  bold  enough  to  say,  " Laugh  on; 
none  of  these  things  move  me ;  my  mind  is 
made  up."  Sometimes  he  is  too  regardful  of 
his  worldly  interests.  He  is  a  little  too  flexible 
and  compliant.  He  makes  concessions  which 
consistency  of  principle  forbids.  Companion 
ship  has  too  much  power  over  him.  He  has 
not  acquired  grace  yet  to  assert  manfully  his 
independence.  Hence  he  is  in  great  danger. 
This  state  of  mind  is  perilous  in  the  extreme. 
If  he  do  not  grow  out  of  it,  it  will  grow  upon 
him.  He  is  likely  to  draw  back,  and  to  give 
up  all.  See,  then,  the  importance  of  his 
immediately  seeking  to  grow  in  firmness,  reso 
luteness,  determinateness.  This  was  the  first 
thing  which  the  apostle  enjoined  next  to  belief: 

Chr.  Trog.  5 


66  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

"Add  to  your  faith  virtue,"  or  as  the  word 
signifies,  "courage" — courage  to  assert  and 
maintain  your  principles  before  all  observation, 
and  against  all  opposition.  Put  on  at  once  the 
courage  of  a  hero,  and  the  constancy  of  a 
vnartyr.  Prove  that  piety,  though  contrary  to 
ambition  after  military  heroism,  is  itself  the 
most  heroic  spirit  in  the  world.  Acquire  more 
and  more  of  the  courage  which  dares  to  be 
singular  in  goodness.  Be  more  insensible  to 
the  world's  favor,  frown,  or  smile.  Religion 
does  not  encourage  or  foster  a  haughty  spirit 
of  independence  or  a  total  disregard  of  the 
world's  opinion,  but  it  does  teach  us  so  to  re 
spect  the  testimony  of  the  Bible  and  the  dictates 
of  conscience  as  to  disregard  all  censures  or 
remarks  that  are  opposite  to  these.  The  tree 
in  its  growth  strikes  its  roots  deeper  and  deeper 
into  the  earth,  and  thus  strengthens  the  hold 
it  has  upon  the  soil,  so  that  it  is  far  less  likely 
to  be  blown  down  by  the  raging  winds.  In 
like  manner  let  your  conviction  strike  deeper 
and  deeper  into  the  truth,  so  that  you  shall 
not  be  thrown  down  by  the  conflicting  opinions 
or  the  stormy  passions  of  men. 


NATURE  OF  PROCURESS.  67 

FAITH  is  susceptible  of  growth..  It  was  the 
prayer  of  the  apostles,  "Lord,  increase  our 
faith."  And  we  read  continually  in  the  Bible 
of  " strong"  and  "  weak  faith."  Faith  may  be 
considered  either  as  general,  believing  the 
whole  word  of  God,  which  is  the  faith  spoken 
of  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the  Hebrews  ;  or 
particular,  as  having  respect  to  the  person  and 
work  of  Christ.  As  regards  the  former,  there 
is  ample  room  in  most  minds  for  growth. 
Difficulties,  after  the  first  impressions  and  con 
victions  are  over,  soon  arise  and  present  them 
selves  to  the  young  and  inexperienced  Chris 
tian,  and  often  multiply  in  his  path.  He^is 
perplexed  and  knows  not  how  to  get  rid  of 
them.  He  is  sometimes  staggered.  His  mind 
is  uncomfortable.  Now,  it  is  obviously  his 
duty  and  equally  his  privilege  to  put  aside 
these  obstacles.  Of  course  he  should  pray  for 
divine  grace,  and,  in  the  language  already 
quoted,  should  say,  "Lord,  increase  my  faith." 
But  this  is--  not  all  he  should  do.  He  should 
read  as  well  as  pray.  His  mind  should  grow 
in  acquaintance  with  the  evidence  of  divine 
revelation.  He  should  ponder  upon  the  miracles 


68  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

of  Christ  and  his  apostles — the  accomplishment 
of  prophecy  in  the  person  and  work  of  the 
Saviour — the  history  of  the  Jews — -the  success 
of  the  gospel  in  its  first  ages  by  fishermen, 
not  only  without,  hut  against  the  powers  of 
the  earth — the  sublime  doctrine  and  pure 
morality  of  the  Bible — the  lofty  views  it  gives 
of  Grod,  and  its  correct  representations  of  human 
nature — the  power  it  has  in  not  only  changing 
the  aspects  of  society,  but  doing  this  by  the 
renovation  of  the  individual  man — the  miserable 
condition  of  humanity  beyond  the  range  and 
influence  of  Christianity,  showing  the  need 
men  have  of  a  revelation — with  the  pretensions 
of  false  religions,  proving  the  expectation  they 
entertain  that  a  revelation  will  be  given.  Now 
all  these  should  become  the  subject  of  deep 
thought  and  reflection,  by  which  the  opposing 
difficulties  will  appear  light  and  little.  Such 
studies  are  too  much  neglected  by  many  per 
sons,  who  are  contented  to  take  their  religion 
upon  trust,  or  to  go  on  their  way  perplexed  by 
the  flippant  cavils  of  infidelity  which  are  so 
common  in  this  age  of  scepticism  and  unbelief. 
True  it  is.  that  their  own  conversion  ever  will 


NATURE   OF  PROaRESS.  69 

be  the  strongest  evidence  of  the  truth  of  reve 
lation  to  the  great  mass  of  the  people  ;  yet  an 
acquaintance  with  these,  its  historic  proofs, 
will  be  of  great  service,  and  yield  great  pleas 
ure  in  their  religious  course. 

But  there  must  be  a  deep  solicitude  to  grow 
in  that  special  faith  which  has  direct  reference 
to  the  Saviour  and  his  work.  Christ  is  the 
chief  object  proposed  to  the  sinner  in  the  New 
Testament.  The  eye  that  sweeps  round  the 
whole  circle  of  divine  truth  must  rest  in  him 
as  the  centre.  Faith  is  confidence,  and  con 
fidence  may  be  weak,  partial,  and  wavering  ;  . 
or  it  may  be  undivided,  firm,  and  settled. 
The  young  Christian,  though  convinced  that 
Christ  is  the  only  ground  of  hope  and  the  only 
source  of  salvation,  though  upon  the  whole 
resting  upon  him  and  expecting  all  things 
from  him,  is  not  yet  brought,  perhaps,  to  that 
full  and  entire  turning  away  from  every  thing 
else,  and  that  full  and  entire  resting  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  which  an  intelligent  and  strong 
faith  requires.  He  looks  much  to  his  frames 
and  feelings,  and  his  various  experiences  ;  as  a 
consequence,  his  peace  rises  and  falls  on  this 


70  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

thermometer.  A  little  more  freedom  in  prayer, 
or  enjoyment  under  a  sermon,  or  elasticity  of 
feeling  in  his  ordinary  course,  raises  him  to  the 
mount ;  while  a  little  less  sinks  him  to  the 
valley.  His  opinion  of  his  state  is  as  variable 
as  his  emotions,  and  to  a  considerable  extent 
is  decided  by  them.  Thus,  his  course  is  an 
alternation  of  gloom  and  gladness.  What  does 
all  this  indicate,  but  that  the  eye  is  not  upon 
Christ,  but  upon  self?  What  does  it  prove,  but 
that  faith  in  Jesus  is  weak  and  wavering — 
that  the  mind  does  not  yet  see  so  clearly  His 
finished  work  as  the  ground  of  hope  and  source 
of  joy  as  it  should  do  ?  The  soul  is  not  yet 
weaned  from  self-righteousness,  but  is  almost 
unconsciously  to  itself  going  about  "to  establish 
its  own  righteousness,"  if  not  of  works,  yet  of 
feelings.  Now,  faith  will  as  certainly  take  us 
off  from  dependence  upon  the  latter  as  upon 
the  former.  Nor  is  this  all,  for  the  soul  weak 
in  faith  is  looking  about  to  many  other  things 
for  strength  and  holiness,  instead  of  Jesus.  It 
does  not  yet  see  so  clearly  as  it  should  do,  that 
"He  is  made  of  God  unto  us  wisdom,  and 
righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  redemp- 


KATUB.E  OF  PROCURESS.  71 

tion."  1  Cor.  1 :  31.  Friends,  ordinances,  self- 
imposed  rules  of  conduct,  are  all  appealed  to 
with  this  petition,  uHelp  me ;"  and  in  proper 
measure  and  season,  it  is  quite  right  to  use 
these  helps,  but  not  to  the  neglect  of  faith  in 
Jesus.  A  Christian  who  has  grown  in  faith 
lias  risen  above  this,  and  is  enabled  to  say,  and 
to  rejoice  as  he  says  it,  "I  now  see  that  all  ful 
ness  of  blessing  is  in  Christ,  and  that  it  is  from 
that  fulness  I  am  to  receive,  and  grace  for 
grace.  I  am  now  weaned  from  self,  and  am 
no  longer  looking  to  it  for  any  thing  but 
conviction  and  condemnation,  but  am  looking 
wholly  and  always  to  Jesus.  My  justification, 
sanctification,  consolation,  stability,  and  per 
severance,  are  all  from  him,  just  as  all  the  sap 
which  supports  the  life  and  promotes  the  fruit- 
fulness  of  the  branch  is  derived  from  its  vital 
union  with  the  tree.  Being  safely  built  upon 
him  as  my  foundation,  I  mingle  nothing  with 
his  work,  and  find  continual  matter  of  rejoic 
ing.  Whatever  view  I  take  of  his  person  and 
work,  whether  I  think  of  his  divinity  or  per 
feet  humanity,  his  atonement,  intercession,  or 
example,  comfort  presents  itself.  Grace  has 


72  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

made  me  willing  to  live  out  of  myself,  upon 
the  fulness  of  Jesus.  In  him  I  have  what  I 
want,  all  I  want."  This  is  strong  faith,  and 
what  an  advance  from  that  feeble,  fluctuating 
confidence  which  marked  the  first  stages  of 
religious  experience.  This  is  true  evangel 
ical  confidence,  to  look  for  joy,  holiness,  and 
strength;  and  to  look  for  all  from  Christ. 
Then  is  faith  settled  and  strong  when  we  are 
brought  to  say,  "For  me  to  live  is  Christ,"  or 
as  it  might  be  rendered,  Christ  is  my  life. 

HOLINESS  is  an  essential  part,  yea,  the  very 
essence  of  personal  godliness.  This  was  the 
image  of  God  in  the  soul  of  man  at  his  creation, 
which  man  lost  by  the  fall,  and  which  it  is  the 
design  of  the  work  of  redemption  to  restore. 
Gen.  1 : 26,  27,  compared  with  Ephes.  4 : 22-24. 
Are  we  predestinated,  it  is  that  we  might  be 
holy.  Ephes.  1 : 4.  Are  we  called,  it  is  with 
a  "  holy  calling."  1  Thes.  4:7;  2  Tim.  1 :  9. 
Are  we  justified  freely  by  God's  grace,  it  is 
that  we  might  be  holy.  Titus  3:7,  8.  Are 
we  afflicted,  it  is  that  we  might  be  partakers 
of  God's  holiness.  Heb.  12  : 10.  The  whole 
work  of  Christ  has  its  end  in  holiness.  He 


NATURE  OF  PROORESS.  73 

"  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it ; 
that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the 
washing  of  water  by  the  word,  that  he  might 
present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church,  not  hav 
ing  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing ;  but 
that  it  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish." 
Ephes.  5 : 26,  27 ;  Titus  2 : 11-14.  It  is  a  very 
low  and  unworthy  idea  of  the  design  of  Christ's 
death,  to  conceive  of  it  as  only  intended  to  save 
men  from  hell — to  consider  it  as  only  designed  to 
save  them  from  becoming  prisoners  and  felons, 
or  from  the  ignominy  of  a  public  execution. 
His  gracious  purpose,  in  addition  to  this,  was 
to  make  them  sons  of  God,  and  bright  and 
glorious  resemblances  of  their  divine  Parent. 
Holiness  was  the  bliss  of  paradise  before  Adam 
fell :  holiness  will  constitute  the  bliss  of  heaven. 
All  the  inhabitants  of  that  state  are  holy ;  all 
its  occupations  are  holy ;  all  its  influence  is 
holy.  Hence  the  indispensable  necessity  of 
holiness  in  the  Christian  character,  and  the 
growth  of  holiness  in  the  Christian  life.  But 
what  is  holiness  ?  The  purification  of  the  heart 
by  the  Spirit  of  Grod  from  the  love  of  sin,  and 
the  life  from  the  practice  of  it.  But  this  is  onb} 


74  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

a  negative  view  of  it,  there  is  also  a  positive 
one.  Holiness  is  the  love  of  God,  for  his  own 
sake ;  and  of  man,  for  God's  sake.  It  is  the 
separation  of  the  soul  from  the  works  of  the 
flesh,  and  the  substitution  in  their  place  of  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit.  Gal.  5  : 19-26.  It  is  that 
blessed  work  by  wThich  the  wilderness  of  an 
unrenewed  heart,  where  grow  the  briar  and 
the  bramble,  the  thorn  and  the  nettle,  is  chang 
ed  into  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  which  bears  the 
fruits  of  righteousness.  Isaiah  55  : 13.  It  is 
obvious  that  this  is  susceptible  of  all  degrees, 
and  therefore  of  continued  increase.  One  man 
may  be  holier  than  another,  and  the  same  man 
may  be  holier  at  one  time  than  another.  Take, 
for  example,  any  one  single  lust  either  of  the 
flesh  or  of  the  mind,  any  one  besetting  sin; 
and  the  gradual  mortification  of  that  is  a  growth 
in  grace.  If  a  man  have  less  pride,  or  covetous- 
ness,  or  malice,  or  impurity  of  imagination, 
than  he  had  at  one  time,  and  more  of  the  op 
posite  disposition,  there  is  progress.  Now,  there 
is  great  need  to  say  to  the  recent  convert,  "  Fol 
low  after  holiness,"  for  he  is  so  likely  to  be 
taken  up  with  the  joy  of  pardon  and  the  peace 


NATURE  OF  PB.OG-B.ESS.  75 

of  faith  as  somewhat  to  forget  the  necessity  of 
sanctification.  At  first  his  views  of  sin  are  both 
defective  and  superficial.  Many  things  in  prac 
tice  are  wrong  which  he  does  not  at  first  think 
to  be  so  ;•  and  of  the  depravity  of  his  heart  he 
has  very  faint  notions  at  all ;  while  also  he  sees 
but  little  of  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin  in 
general.  He  must  therefore  seek  to  increase 
in  the  love  of  God,  the  hatred  of  all  sin,  and 
the  entire  consecration  of  his  heart  and  life  to 
the  service  of  God.  "While  God  is  calling  to 
him  out  of  heaven,  and  saying,  "  Be  ye  holy, 
for  I  am  holy,"  he  must  reply  by  sincere  and 
earnest  prayer,  "  Purge  me  with  hyssop,  and  I 
shall  be  clean  :  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter 
than  snow.  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  and 
renew  a  right  spirit  within  me."  Psa.  41 : 7, 11. 
Be  not  satisfied  then  without  a  growth  in 
holiness  of  which  you  shall  yourself  possess  the 
most  entire  consciousness,  and  which  shall  be  • 
equally  evident  to  others.  Holiness  is  hap 
piness,  and  the  more  you  have  of  the  former 
the  more  you  will  undoubtedly  enjoy  of  the 
latter.  Enter  more  and  more  fully  into  the 
bliss  of  finding  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul  con- 


76  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

tinually  increasing  in  vigor  and  in  operatiui. 
It  is  a  sign  of  growth  in  holiness  when  the 
mind  is  not  only  more  enlightened  in  the  na 
ture,  evil,  and  existence  of  sin  in  general,  but 
when  we  become  more  aware  of  little  sins 
which  did  not  formerly  strike  us ;  when  the 
eye  of  the  mind  is  more  microscopic,  and  can 
detect  sins  which  we  formerly  did  not  see,  and 
especially  when  we  are  more  affected  by  them. 
When  also  we  are  more  solicitous  to  find  out 
such  unknown  sins  ;  when  we  search  for  them 
ourselves,  taking  the  candle  of  the  Lord,  and 
going  down  into  the  depths  of  our  own  heart  to 
bring  to  light  what  we  did  not  before  discover ; 
and  when  not  being  satisfied  with  our  own 
searching,  we  carry  the  matter  to  Grod,  and  in 
the  language  of  David  pray  thus,  "  Search  me, 
0  Grod,  and  know  my  thoughts ;  try  me,  and 
know  my  ways,  and  see  if  there  be  any  wick 
ed  way  in  me."  When  we  are  afraid  of  little 
sins — sins  of  ignorance,  of  inadvertence,  and 
of  carelessness  ;  when  the  soul  is  so  anxious  to 
be  holy  that  it  would  not  have  even  secret 
faults  kept  within  it ;  when  the  conscience, 
like  the  apple  of  the  eye,  becomes  so  tender 


NATURE   OF  PROGRESS.  77 

that  it  cannot  tear  the  slightest  touch — this, 
this  is  growth  in  holiness.  Blessed  is  that  soul 
which  is  thus  assimilating  more  and  more 
closely  to  the  image  of  G-od. 

Spirituality  of  mind  and  heavenliness  of 
affection  are  essential  elements  in  true  piety : 
"  to  be  spiritually-minded  is  life  and  peace." 
And  it  is  also  the  state  and  character  of  the 
Christian  to  live  with  his  thoughts,  affections, 
and  aspirations  centering  in  G-od  and  heaven. 
How  strong  an  expression  is  that  of  the  apostle, 
and  how  little  is  it  known  by  the  generality  of 
professors :  "  If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ, 
seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where 
Christ  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  G-od.  Set 
your  affection  on  things  above,  not  on  things 
on  the  earth.  For  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is 
hid  with  Christ  in  God."  Col.  3  : 1-3.  Pause, 
reader,  and  ponder  upon  this  impressive  lan 
guage.  This  is  the  mind  of  a  real  Christian ; 
this  is  the  experience  of  a  child  of  God.  It 
is  to  this  that  renewing  grace  is  designed  to 
bring  us.  "What  know  you  of  this  spiritual 
renovation,  this  strange  mixture  of  death  and 
life  in  the  same  soul ;  this  holy  paradox  ?  Ah, 


78      •  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

what !  Know  and  understand  that  vital  piety 
is  something  more  than  an  abstinence  from 
crimes,  vices,  and  sins ;  yes,  and  something 
more  than  the  practice  of  the  conventional 
virtues,  not  only  of  the  world,  but  of  the 
church.  It  is  a  spiritual,  heavenly  mind — an 
unearthly  disposition.  The  thoughts  and  af 
fections,  by  a  holy  spontaneity,  rise  up  and  flow 
to  Grod,  like  the  ebullition  of  a  spring,  without 
external  force  or  instrumentality.  Divine 
things  possess  attractions  which  of  themselves 
draw  the  soul  towards  them.  There  needs  not 
sermons,  or  books,  or  places,  or  occasions,  to 
engage  the  mind  and  heart  that  way.  There 
is  an  inward  taste  which,  like  any  other  taste, 
is  itself  a  predisposition  for  them.  The  soul, 
of  its  own  accord,  self-moved,  self-drawn,  goes 
to  Christ,  to  God,  to  heaven.  This  is  growing 
in  grace,  and  increasing  with  all  the  increase 
of  (rod ;  this  is  walking  more  and  more  by 
faith,  when  spiritual,  divine,  invisible  objects 
acquire  a  greater  power  over  the  soul ;  when 
there  needs  but  the  slightest  touch  to  set 
the  mind  in  spiritual  motion,  and  the  Chris 
tian  feels  increasingly  that  his  element  is 


NATURE   OF  PROGRESS.  79 

devotion  and  his  native  air  the  atmosphere ,  of 
piety. 

The  Christian  temper  is  one  great  part  01 
true  religion ;  and  by  this,  as  distinguished 
from  what  has  gone  before,  I  mean  the  passive 
virtues  and  amiable  affections  of  the  heart,  or 
what  is  called  "  the  meekness  and  gentleness 
of  Christ."  Or  to  refer  to  another  term  so  often 
employed  by  the  apostle,  I  mean  the  charity 
so  beautifully  described  in  the  thirteenth  chap 
ter  of  the  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  It 
is  of  immense  importance  that  every  one  be 
ginning  the  divine  life  should  study  both  that 
chapter  and  our  Lord's  sermon  upon  the  mount. 
These  portions  of  holy  writ  fully  and  inten 
tionally  describe  and  set  forth  the  Christian 
temper.  Young  professors,  and  indeed  old  ones 
too,  sadly  forget  that  LOVE  is  the  very  essence 
of  the  Christian  spirit :  it  is  the  very  soul  of 
practical  religion — a  love  that  represses  the 
strong  passions  of  the  heart  and  the  boisterous 
conduct  of  the  life — a  love  that  makes  us  cau 
tious  against  giving  offence,  and  backward  to 
receive  it — a  love  that  renders  us  forbearing 
and  forgiving — a  love  that  produces  a  calm, 


80  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

equable  mind,  and  which  speaks  in  soft,  kind, 
and  gentle  speech — a  love  that  dreads  the  in 
fliction  of  pain  and  covets  the  communication 
of  happiness.  "  Oh  divine  and  heavenly  char 
ity,  thou  offspring  of  that  glorious  Being  of 
whom  it  is  said,  '  GOD  is  LOVE  ;'  thou  of  whom 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  hut  an  impersona 
tion  and  embodiment ;  thou  that  art  another 
name  for  the  gospel,  and  the  very  end  and  ful 
ness  of  the  law  ;  thou  benign  and  gentle  spirit, 
how  little  is  thy  nature  understood  and  thy 
claims  admitted,  not  only  in  the  world,  but  in 
the  church :  when  shall  thy  sway  be  felt  by 
all  who  profess  to  bow  to  thy  sceptre,  but  who 
withhold  from  thee  their  allegiance,  and  exhibit 
so  little  of  thy  rule  ?"  How  peaceful  and  ami 
able  ;  how  courteous  and  affable ;  how  tender 
and  sympathetic ;  how  kind  and  obliging, 
would  this  love  make  us  to  all  around.  "What 
lovely  specimens  of  christianized  humanity, 
and  what  attractive  recommendations  of  it, 
would  this  make  us.  Here,  here  is  the  spirit 
in  which  to  make  progress.  Too  many  have 
no  idea  of  the  subjection  of  their  temper  to  the 
influence  of  religion.  And  yet  what  is  changed, 


NATURE  OF  PROGRESS.  81 

if  the  temper  be  not ;  or  of  what  use  is  any 
other  change  ?  If  a  man  is  as  passionate,  ma 
licious,  resentful,  sullen,  moody,  or  morose, 
after  his  conversion  as  before  it,  what  is  he  con 
verted  from  or  to ?  "Let  the  mind  of  Jesus 
be  in  you,"  said  the  apostle ;  and  in  another 
place,  "  If  any  man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ, 
he  is  none  of  his."  Now,  the  mind  of  Jesus 
was  loving,  kind,  meek,  gentle,  and  forgiving ; 
and  unless  we  have  these  virtues  we  have  not, 
cannot  have,  the  mind  of  Jesus.  We  must  not 
take  up  the  idea  that  temper  is  so  constitutional, 
a  thing  so  unconquerable,  that  we  may  as  well 
think  to  alter  the  shape  and  complexion  of  our 
body,  as  to  attempt  to  change  the  natural  tem 
per  of  the  mind.  It  can  be  improved — it  has 
been  in  millions  of  instances — it  must  be.  "We 
must  all  of  us  grow  more  and  more  in  the 
"whatsoever  things  are  lovely."  We  must 
set  out  in  the  Christian  career  with  the  deter 
mination,  through  grace,  to  eradicate  the  briar 
and  bramble,  the  thorn  and  the  nettle — those 
lacerating  and  stinging  shrubs — and  to  plant 
in  their  room  the  ornamental  fir,  the  odoriferous 
myrtle,  and  the  fruitful  vine. 

Chr.  ProS.  6 


82  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

There  is  perhaps  no  sign  of  growth  more  de 
cisive,  nor  any  thing  more  desirable  in  itself, 
than  the  union  of  increasing  holiness  with  a 
wider  view  of  Christian  liberty.  These  two 
are  sometimes  dissociated,  and  we  see,  on  the 
one  hand,  liberty  degenerating  into  licentious 
ness,  and  on  the  other,  righteousness  sinking 
into  bondage.  The  freedom  of  the  one  is  privi 
lege  in  opposition  to  duty  ;  the  thraldom  of  the 
other  is  duty  to  the  neglect  of  privilege.  Many 
an  old,  but  corrupt,  professor  has  abjured  the 
obligations  of  the  moral  law,  that  he  might  en 
joy,  as  he  supposes,  "  the  liberty  wherewith 
Christ  makes  his  people  free ;"  while  many  a 
young  one  has  placed  himself  in  spirit  under 
the  yoke  of  the  ceremonial  code,  and  brought 
himself  into  a  slavery  repugnant  to  the  free 
and  generous  spirit  of  the  gospel.  It  is  as  un 
doubted  a  fact  that  "  where  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  is  there  is  liberty,"  as  that  there  is  holi 
ness.  Both  passages  in  the  same  context  are 
equally  true,  where  it  is  said,  "  There  is  nc 
condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus ;" 
but  then  "they  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but 
after  the  Spirit."  "  For  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of 


NATURE   OF  PROGRESS.  83 

life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  them  free  from 
the  law  of  sin  and  death."  This  is  in  order 
"that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be 
fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but 
after  the  Spirit."  Rom.  8  : 1-4.  How  beauti 
fully  liberty  and  holiness  are  balanced  in  this 
passage.  And  how  important  is  the  exhorta 
tion  of  the  apostle,  "  Brethren,  ye  have  been 
called  to  liberty ;  only  use  not  liberty  for  an  oc 
casion  to  the  flesh."  Gral.  5  : 13.  By  liberty, 
then,  we  understand,  not  only  a  freedom  from 
the  yoke,  but  also  from  the  spirit,  of  the  cere 
monial  law :  the  spirit  of  a  child  in  opposition 
to  that  of  a  slave.  In  other  words,  serving  God 
in  a  spirit  of  love,  which  casts  out  tormenting 
fears.  Young  Christians,  who  are  not  yet  so 
enlightened  and  so  settled  in  what  are  called 
the  doctrines  of  grace,  or  of  free  justification 
through  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  are  a  long 
time  troubled  with  a  legal  spirit.  There  is  a 
kind  of  superstitious  punctiliousness  in  little 
things-^-things  which  are  prescribed  by  human 
authority,  or  invented  by  human  ingenuity,  or 
borrowed  from  human  examples,  but  not  pre 
scribed  by  the  word  of  God.  In  the  early 


84  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

stages  of  religious  experience  there  is  often  an 
unenlightened  and  sickly  tenderness  of  con 
science,  an  excessive  and  shrinking  sensibility, 
which  not  only  subjects  its  possessor  to  a  dep 
rivation  of  lawful  comforts  and  a  large  amount 
of  very  unnecessary  pain,  but  which  also  in 
capacitates  him  for  the  vigorous  and  efficient 
discharge  of  duty.  A  man  always  hesitating, 
and  fearing  and  trembling  lest  he  has  failed 
to  execute  in  some  minute  particular  the  will 
of  God,  even  when  his  intentions  were  the  most 
pure  and  his  efforts  the  most  diligent  and  faith 
ful,  is  but  ill  prepared  either  to  enjoy  his  privi 
leges  as  a  child  of  God,  or  for  encountering  the 
various  events  and  changes  of  the  Christian 
life.  He  will  experience  little  of  that  "  joy  of 
the  Lord  which  is  our  strength,"  and  go  on 
his  way  in  heaviness.  He  is  the  last  to  whom 
we  should  look  for  an  illustration  of  that  scrip 
ture,  "  Great  peace  have  they  that  love  thy 
law,  and  nothing  shall  offend  them."  "We 
should  cultivate  a  filial  spirit  that  shall  enable 
us,  amidst  our  numberless  imperfections  and 
failings,  all  of  which  must  be  mourned  and 
resisted,  still  cheerfully  to  enjoy  our  Christian 


NATURE   OF  PROGRESS.  85 

privileges,  and  to  persevere  in  the  way  of  duty, 
not  doubting  that  \ve  shall  be  sustained  with 
power  from  on  high  to  lead  a  holy  life,  and  thai 
through  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  merits  oJ 
Christ,  all  our  deficiencies  and  errors  will  be 
mercifully  forgiven,  and  we  shall  find  accep 
tance  at  the  last.  I  know  very  well  that  the 
tendency  of  many  is,  in  these  days,  to  extend 
too  widely,  rather  than  to  contract  too  narrow 
ly,  the  circle  of  Christian  liberty  ;  but  in  theso 
cases,  there  is  a  proportionate  diminution  of 
holiness.  The  conduct  is  as  little  scrupulous 
in  neglecting  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law, 
as  it  is  in  overlooking  the  lesser  matters  of  hu 
man  imposition.  There  cannot  be  a  darker 
sign  for  any  person  than  to  be  for  ever  com 
plaining  of  the  strictness  of  religion,  and  endeav 
oring  to  relax  the  bonds  of  spiritual  obliga 
tion  under  the  notion  of  enjoying  Christian 
liberty.  It  is  a  striking  mark  of  progress  in 
the  divine  life  when  we  are  brought  to  adopt, 
in  intelligence  and  good  faith,  the  apostle's  rule 
of  conduct  for  himself:  "  All  things  are  lawful 
unto  me,  but  all  things  are  not  expedient ;  all 
things  are  lawful  for  me,  but  I  will  not  be 


86  CHRISTIAN  PROG-EESS. 

brought  under  the  power  of  any."  1  Cor.  6 : 12. 
Instead  of  claiming,  as  many  do,  indulgence 
for  acts  in  themselves  unlawful  because  they 
are  supposed  to  be  beneficial  in  their  effects, 
Paul  was  not  content  even  with  the  positive 
lawfulness  of  actions,  unless  to  this  was  super- 
added  a  manifest  tendency  to  the  production 
of  good,  setting  in  no  case  these  two  qualities 
of  morality  and  expediency  in  opposition  to 
each  other,  much  less  making  the  inferior  to 
overbalance  that  which  is  of  greater  force  and 
value,  but  refusing  to  take  a  step  when  they 
did  not  coincide.  He  did  not  resolve,  "  I  will 
perform  those  things  that  are  expedient,  though 
they  be  not  lawful ;"  but,  "  I  will  not  venture 
even  upon  lawful  actions,  if  they  be  not  expedi 
ent."  Here  is  progress  indeed,  when  with  en 
larged  views  of  Christian  liberty,  there  is  at 
the  same  time  an  increasing  disposition  to  make 
that  liberty  subservient  to  our  own  holiness, 
and  also  the  well-being  of  others. 

Christian  activity  is  essential  to  Christian 
consistency.  The  injunctions  to  this  are  so 
numerous  as  to  be  interwoven  with  the  whole 
texture  of  Scripture.  This  is  set  forth  by  two 


NATURE   OF  PROG-RESS.  87 

very  striking  metaphors,  where  Christ  told  his 
disciples  they  were  to  be  "the  light  of  the 
world,"  and  "  the  salt  of  the  earth ;"  than  which 
nothing  can  be  more  instructive  or  impressive. 
They  are  to  illuminate  the  moral  darkness,  and 
purify  the  corruption  by  which  they  are  sur 
rounded.  It  is  one  end  of  their  conversion,  for 
no  man  is  converted  only  for  himself.  Hence 
said  Christ  to  Peter,  "  And  when  thou  art  con 
verted  strengthen  thy  brethren/5  Every  truly 
regenerated  person  is,  and  should  consider  him 
self,  another  chosen,  appointed,  and  prepared  in 
strument  for  the  world's  conversion.  God  works 
by  means  and  instruments,  and  these  .are  not 
exclusively  confined  to  the  ministers  of  relig 
ion.  There  are  many  ways  in  which  every  real 
Christian  can,  without  invading  the  ministerial 
office,  or  stepping  out  of  his  place,  do  good  to 
others.  This  is  required  by  the  law  which 
commands  us  to  love  (rod ;  for  can  we  love  him 
and  not  desire  that  others  should  do  so  too? 
Equally  also  by  that  other  great  command 
ment  which  requires  us  to  love  our  neighbor 
as  ourselves ;  for  can  we  really  love  him  and 
not  seek  to  do  him  all  the  good  we  can?  Bead 


88  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

the  following  scriptures  with  great  care  and 
attention :  Matt.  5  :  42-48  ;  Rom.  10  :  6-13  ; 
14 :  7,  9  ;  Gal.  6  :  6-10  ;  Phil.  2  :  4, 15, 16,  21 ; 
Heb.  13:  16 ;  1  John,  4: 10,  11. 

Young  converts  should  have  a  clear  under 
standing,  a  deep  conviction,  and  a  very  pow 
erful  impression  of  this,  that  they  are  called 
not  only  to  holiness  and  happiness,  but  also  to 
usefulness;  and  should  also  perceive  that  no 
small  pari  of  the  two  first  depends  upon  carry 
ing  out  the  last.  Yet  they  are  not  always  so 
disposed ;  they  are  sometimes  so  much  taken 
up  with  the  enjoyment  of  their  own  personal 
religion  and  Christian  privileges,  as  to  sit  down 
in  luxurious  ease,  and  indolently  enjoy  the  hap 
piness  to  which  they  are  brought.  But  let 
them  know  and  remember,  that  one  of  the 
strongest  evidences  of  our  own  salvation,  is  a 
deep  concern  and  a  vigorous  activity  for  the 
salvation  of  others.  Every  true  believer  should 
begin  his  religious  course  with  an  intelligent 
purpose  to  lay  himself  out  for  usefulness,  ac 
cording  to  his  abilities,  his  means,  his  situation, 
his  resources,  and  his  opportunities.  He  cannot 
be  a  Christian  who  in  the  spirit  of  the  first 


NATURE  OF  PROG-RESS.  89 

murderer  asks,  "  Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?" 
Benevolence  must  enter  very  largely  into  the 
constitution  of  every  real  Christian ;  and  like 
every  other  part  of  the  Christian  character,  it 
must  be  ever  growing.  He  must  be  useful, 
and  do  good  as  a  young  man,  with  even  limited 
means  and  opportunities :  he  must  first  be  ac 
tive  in  that  way  to  which  he  is  most  adapted ; 
then  he  must  look  out  for  something  else,  for 
nothing  is  so  suggestive  and  inventive  as  benev 
olence.  His  sphere  of  activity  must  continu 
ally  widen  as  his  experience  becomes  estab 
lished,  his  knowledge  increases,  his  observation 
extends,  and  his  resources  accumulate.  Noth 
ing  progresses  more  rapidly  in  a  heart  set  upon 
doing  good,  than  an  ability  to  be 'useful.  They 
who  at  first  are  timid,  shy,  awkward,  in  such 
efforts,  soon  acquire  courage,  expertness,  and 
efficiency.  It  is  a  sad  sight  to  see  the  heart 
contracting,  the  hand  growing  slack,  and  the 
foot  heavy  and  slow,  as  the  means  and  oppor 
tunities  for  doing  good  are  multiplied.  On  the 
other  hand,  how  beautiful  a  scene  is  it  to  wit 
ness  the  professor  becoming  more  and  more 
both  of  the  Christian  and  of  the  philanthropist 


90  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

as  years  roll  on,  till  he  realizes  the  description 
of  the  Psalmist  where  he  says,  the  righteous 
"  shall  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age ;  they  shall 
be  fat  and  flourishing."  Psalm  92  :  14. 

And  what  is  the  crowning  grace,  the  finish 
ing  stroke  of  beauty,  and  the  brightest  ray  of 
glory  in  the  Christian  character?  HUMILITY. 
"  It  is  this  among  other  things,  and  high  among 
them  too,  which  distinguishes  Christianity  from 
all  the  wisdom  of  the  world  both  ancient  and 
modern,  not  having  been  taught  by  the  wise 
men  of  the  Grentiles,  but  first  put  into  a  disci 
pline  and  made  part  of  religion  by  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  who  chiefly  proposes  himself 
as  our  example  by  exhibiting  in  his  own  per 
fect  character  the  twin  sisters  of  meekness  and 
humility.  Every  thing — our  ignorance,  our 
weakness,  our  sins,  and  our  follies,  prescribe  to 
as  that  our  proper  dwelling-place  is  low  in  the 
deep  valley  of  humility.  We  have  only  to 
compare  our  present  spiritual  condition,  I  will 
not  say  with  the  holy  God,  the  holy  Jesus,  or 
the  holy  angels,  but  with  holy  Adam  before  his 
fall,  to  see  how  low  we  have  sunk,  and  how 
entirely  by  the  fall  we  have  lost  all  ground  and 


NATURE  OF  PROGRESS.  9] 


all  excuse  for  pride,  ^e  have  only  to  look  at 
human  nature  in  general,  all  corrupt  as  it  is, 
or  study  it  in  our  own  selves  as  its  epitome  ;  we 
have  only  to  look  back  at  what  we  were  before 
conversion,  or  to  look  in  and  see  how  imperfect 
even  in  our  converted  state  we  still  are  ;  we 
have  only  to  consider  how  strong  are  our  reso 
lutions,  and  how  feeble  and  broken  have  been 
their  performance  —  how  many  the  temptations 
by  which  we  have  been  assailed,  and  with 
what  success  against  ourselves,  to  see  most 
abundant  cause  for  humility.  You  may  read 
for  injunctions  to  this  virtue,  Prov.  15  :  33  ; 
18  :  12  ;  22  :  4  ;  Mic.  6:8;  Luke  14  :  11  ;  Col. 
3  :  12  ;  1  Peter,  5  :  5.  But  all  these  injunctions 
and  all  possible  motives  to  this  grace  are  bound 
up  in  the  example  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Remember  that  the  blessed  Saviour  hath  done 
more  to  prescribe  and  transmit  and  secure 
this  grace,  than  any  other  ;  his  whole  life  being 
a  great,  continued  descent  from  the  glorious 
bosom  of  his  Father  to  the  womb  of  a  poor 
maiden,  to  the  form  of  a  servant,  to  the  like 
ness  and  miseries  of  sinful  flesh,  to  a  life  of 
labor,  to  a  state  of  poverty,  to  a  death  of  mal- 


92  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

efactors,  to  the  grave  of  death,  and  to  the  in 
tolerable  calamities  which  we  deserved ;  and 
it  were  a  good  design,  and  yet  but  reasonable, 
that  we  should  be  as  humble  in  the  midst  of 
our  greatest  imperfections  and  basest  sins,  as 
Christ  was  in  the  midst  of  his  fulness  of  the 
Spirit,  great  wisdom,  perfect  life,  and  most  ad 
mirable  virtues."* 

The  same  author  has  given  us  the  following 
signs  of  humility.  "  If  you  would  try  how 
your  soul  grows,  you  shall  know  that  humil 
ity,  like  the  root  of  a  goodly  tree,  is  thrust  very 
far  into  the  ground,  by  these  goodly  fruits 
which  appear  above  ground.  1.  The  humble 
man  trusts  not  to  his  own  discretion,  but  in 
matters  of  concernment  relies  rather  upon  the 
judgment  of  his  friends,  counsellors,  or  spiritual 
guides.  2.  He  does  not  pertinaciously  pursue 
the  choice  of  his  own  will,  but  in  all  things  lets 
God  choose  for  him,  and  his  superiors  in  those 
things  which  concern  them.  3.  He  does  not 
murmur  against  commands.  4.  He  is  not  in 
quisitive  into  the  reasonableness  of  indifferent 
and  innocent  commands,  but  believes  their 

*  Bishop  Jeremy  Taylor. 


NATURE   OF   PROG-RESS.  93 

command  to  be  reason  enough  in  such  cases  to 
exact  his  obedience.  5.  He  lives  according  to 
a  rule,  and  with  compliance  to  public  customs, 
without  any  affectation  or  singularity  6.  He 
is  meek  and  indifferent  in  all  accidents  and 
chances.  7.  He  patiently  bears  injuries.  8. 
He  is  always  unsatisfied  in  his  own  conduct, 
resolutions,  and  counsels.  9.  He  is  a  great 
lover  of  good  men,  and  a  praiser  of  wise  men, 
and  a  censurer  of  no  man.  10.  He  is  modest 
in  his  speech,  and  reserved  in  his  laughter. 
11.  He  fears,  when  he  hears  himself  commend 
ed,  lest  God  make  another  judgment  concern 
ing  his  actions,  than  men  do.  12.  He  gives 
no  pert  or  saucy  answers  when  he  is  reproved, 
wrhether  justly  or  unjustly.  13.  He  loves  to 
sit  down  in  private,  and,  if  he  may,  he  refuses 
the  temptation  of  offices  and  new  honors.  14. 
He  is  ingenuous,  free,  and  open  in  his  actions 
and  discourses.  15.  He  mends  his  fault,  and 
gives  thanks,  when  he  is  admonished.  16.  He 
is  ready  to  do  good  offices  to  the  murderers  of 
his  fame,  to  his  slanderers,  backbiters,  and  de 
tractors,  as  Christ  washed  the  feet  of  Judas. 
17.  And  is  contented  to  be  suspected  of  indis- 


94  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

cretion,  so  before  God  he  may  be  really  inno 
cent,  and  not  offensive  to  his  neighbor,  nor 
wanting  to  his  just  and  prudent  interest." 

Such  is  the  grace,  and  such  its  signs,  in  winch 
it  is  the  duty  of  every  Christian  to  be  continu 
ally  progressing.  It  is  not  unfrequently  the 
case  that  young  converts  in  the  ardor  of  theii 
first  love  are  self-confident,  and  sometimes  a 
little  high-minded.  They  are  unduly  exalted 
in  their  own  estimation  by  the  strength  of  theii 
feelings  and  the  liveliness  of  their  frames,  and 
are  almost  ready  to  wonder  at,  and  to  censure, 
the  lovely  confessions  of  others  far  older  in  the 
divine  life  than  themselves.  They  seem  al 
ready  to  realize,  in  their  own  estimation,  the 
beautiful  language  of  the  prophet,  and  mount 
up  with  wings  as  eagles  ;  they  run  and  are  not 
weary,  and  walk  and  are  not  faint.  Thus  spir 
itual  pride,  like  the  fly  or  the  worm  striking  the 
young  germination,  eats  into  the  heart  of  the 
young  believer,  and  where  it  does  not  destroy 
the  principle  of  life,  sadly  impairs  its  growth. 

Let,  therefore,  the  early  professor  be  duly 
aware  of  this  tendency  and  watch  against  it. 
Let  him  recollect  that  as  humility  may  be  com- 


NATURE   OF  PROG-RESS.  95 

pared  to  the  roots  of  the  tree,  while  other  gra 
ces  are  its  fruits,  the  latter  must  be  expected 
in  abundance  only  as  the  former  strike  down 
wards  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  earth.  Surely 
it  might  be  supposed  there  is  no  one  grace  in 
which  the  soul  would  be  more  disposed  or  find 
it  easier  to  grow  than  this,  since  every  day  as  - 
it  passes  gives  us  greater  and  greater  know 
ledge  of  ourselves  and  shows  us  how  little  cause 
there  is  for  pride.  "  If  we  need  any  new  in 
centives  to  the  practice  of  this  grace,  I  can  say 
no  more,  but  that  humility  is  truth,  and  pride 
is  a  lie — that  the  one  glorifies  G-od,  the  other 
dishonors  him :  humility  makes  men  like  angels, 
pride  makes  angels  to  become  devils  ;  that  pride 
is  folly,  humility  is  the  temper  of  a  holy  spirit 
and  excellent  wisdom ;  that  humility  is  the 
way  to  glory,  pride  to  ruin  and  confusion :  hu 
mility  makes  saints  on  earth,  pride  undoes 
them  ;  humility  beautifies  the  saints  in  heaven, 
and  *  the  elders  throw  their  crowns  at  the  foot 
of  the  throne;'  pride  disgraces  a  man  among 
all  the  societies  of  the  earth :  G-od  loves  one, 
and  Satan  solicits  the  cause  of  the  other,  and 
promotes  his  own  interest  in  it  most  of  all 


96  CHRISTIAN  .PROGRESS. 

And  there  is  not  onejh:ace  in  which  Christ  pro 
pounded  himself  inmable  so  signally  as  in  this 
of  meekness  and  humility,  for  the  enforcing  of 
which  he  undertook  the  condition  of  a  servant, 
and  a  life  of  poverty,  and  a  death  of  disgrace  ; 
and  washed  the  feet  of  his  disciples,  and  even 
of  Judas  himself,  that  his  action  might  be  turn 
ed  into  a  sermon  to  preach  this  duty,  and  to 
make  it  as  eternal  as  his  own  story."  And  can 
we  present  for  ourselves  a  more  appropriate 
and  beautiful  prayer  than  that  with  which 
Bishop  Taylor  closes  his  "  Considerations  upon 
Christ's  Humility :" 

"  0  holy  and  eternal  Jesus,  who  wert  pleased 
to  lay  aside  the  glories  and  incomprehensible 
majesty  which  clothed  thy  infinity  from  before 
the  beginning  of  creatures,  and  didst  put  on  a 
cloud  upon  thy  brightness,  and  wert  invested 
with  the  impure  and  imperfect  broken  robe  of 
human  nature,  and  didst  abate  those  splendors 
which  broke  through  the  veil,  commanding 
devils  not  to  publish  thee,  and  men  not  to  pro 
claim  thy  excellences,  and  the  apostles  not  to 
reveal  those  glories  of  thine,  which  they  dis 
covered  encircling  thee,  upon  mount  Tabor,  in 


NATURE  OF 

thy  transfiguration,  and  ;&idst;  by  peipettf$l T 
homilies  and  symbolical  mysterious'  actions, 
as  with  deep  characters  engrave  humility  into 
the  spirits  of  thy  disciples  and  the  discipline 
of  Christianity,  teach  us  to  approach  near  to 
these  thy  glories,  which  thou  hast  so  covered 
with  a  cloud  that  we  might  without  amaze 
ment  behold  thy  excellences ;  make  us  to 
imitate  thy  gracious  condescensions  ;  take  from 
us  all  vanity  and  fantastic  complacencies  in 
our  own  persons  or  actions  ;  and  when  there 
arises  a  reputation  consequent  to  the  perform 
ance  of  any  part  of  our  duty,  make  us  to  re 
flect  the  glory  upon  thee,  suffering  nothing  to 
adhere  to  our  own  spirits  but  shame  at  our 
own  imperfection  and  thankfulness  to  thee  for 
all  thy  assistances  ;  let  us  never  seek  the  praise 
of  men  from  unhandsome  actions,  from  flatter 
ies  and  unworthy  discourses,  nor  entertain  the 
praise  with  delight  though  it  proceed  from 
better  principles  ;  but  fear  and  tremble,  lest 
we  deserve  punishment,  or  lose  a  reward 
which  thou  hast  deposited  for  all  them  that 
seek  thy  glory  and  despise  their  own,  that 
they  may  imitate  the  example  of  their  Lord. 


98  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

Thou,  0  Lord,  didst  triumph  over  sin  and 
death  ;  subdue  also  my  proud  understanding, 
and  my  prouder  affections,  and  bring  me  under 
thy  yoke,  that  I  may  do  thy  work,  and  obey 
my  superiors,  and  be  a  servant  of  all  my 
brethren  in  their  necessities,  and  esteem  myself 
inferior  to  all  men  by  a  deep  sense  of  my  own 
unworthiness,  and  in  all  things  may  obey  thy 
laws,  and  conform  to  thy  precedents,  and  enter 
into  thine  inheritance,  0  holy  and  eternal 
Jesus.  Amen." 

And  now  we  may  ask,  Are  there  not  certain 
points  of  resemblance  between  natural  growth 
and  progressive  holiness  which  deserve  notice  ? 
We  apprehend  there  are,  and  principally  the 
following  : 

1.  It  is  the  order  of  the  natural  world  for 
all  life,  whether  in  vegetables,  brutes,  or  human 
beings,  to  grow.     Growth,  as  we  have  said,  is 
the  law  of  healthful  life. 

2.  Growth  is  dependent  upon  means  used 
to  promote  it.     The  child  grows  in  strength 
and  stature  by  his  mother's  milk  ;  animals  in 
much  the  same  way  ;  and  trees  and  vegetables 
by  all  the  processes  and  supplies  of  agriculture 


NATURE  OF  PROGRESS.  99 

and  the  influences  of  the  heavens  and  the  soil. 
So  is  it  with  religion  in  the  soul :  there  cannot 
be  advance  without  the  appropriate  means, 
both  in  kind  and  measure.  These  will  be  the 
subject  of  the  next  chapter. 

3.  Growth  in  other  things  is  proportionate 
in  all  the  parts  which  belong  to  them.     If  of 
a  tree,  the  roots,  stem,  and  branches  all  grow 
together,  if  the  tree  be  in  a  sound  state.     If  it 
be  a  child,  all  the  limbs  grow  proportionately, 
and  the  body,  and  also  mind,  keep  pace  with 
each  other.     Disproportion  produces  monstrosi 
ties.     If,  for  instance,  the  head  be  larger  than 
the  body,  or  the  limbs  smaller ;  or  if  the  mind 
is  childish  while  the  body  is  advancing  to  the 
period  of  youth  or  manhood,  in  either  of  these 
cases  there  is  deformity.     So  it  is  in  religion. 
The  Christian  grows  in  knowledge,  faith,  and 
holiness  together.     There  is,  or  should  be,  no 
spiritual  deformity  or  monstrosity. 

4.  Growth  is  very  gradual  in  all  life,  not 
excepting  the  Christian.     No  plant  becomes  a 
tree,  no  child  a  man,  all  at  once  :  so  is  it  with 
the  Christian. 

5    Growth  is  perceptible,  not  indeed  in  its 


100  CHlUbTIAN   PROGRESS. 

principles,  but  in  its  effects.  In  the  case  of  a 
tree  or  shrub,  he  who  sees  it  when  first  planted, 
and  looks  at  it  some  years  afterwards,  will 
perceive  progress.  So  of  a  new-born  babe, 
growing  into  a  child  of  two  years  old.  So  of 
a  young  convert :  he  who  converses  with  him 
at  his  first  awaking,  and  a  year  or  two  after 
his  conversion,  will  perceive  an  increase  of 
knowledge  and  decision  and  .  comfort  and 
holiness.  This,  however,  will  sometimes  be 
more  clearly  perceived  by  those  who  stand  by, 
than  by  the  Christian  himself.  The  child  is 
not  at  the  time  sensible  of  his  own  growth ; 
and  it  often,  yea,  generally,  requires  to  look 
back  and  compare  what  he  is  now  with  what 
he  recollects  himself  to  have  been,  to  convince 
him  of  his  growth.  And  so  it  is  with  the 
spiritual  babe. 

"  A  healthy  child,"  says  Dr.  John  Brown 
in  his  admirable  exposition  of  the  epistle  of 
Peter,  to  which  I  am  indebted  for  several  of 
the  preceding  remarks,  "  grows  without  think 
ing  much  about  its  growth.  It  takes  its  food 
and  exercise,  and  finds  that  it  is  growing  in 
the  increase  of  its  strength  and  its  capacity 


NATURE  OF  PROGRESS.  101 

for  exertion.  And  an  analogous  state  is,  I 
believe,  the  healthiest  state  of  the  spiritual 
new-born  babe.  "While  self-examination,  right 
ly  managed,  is  very  useful,  a  morbid  desire  of 
the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  we  are  im 
proving,  is  in  danger  of  drawing  the  mind  away 
from  the  constant  employment  of  the  means  of 
spiritual  nourishment  and  health.  The  best 
state  of  things  is  where,  in  the  healthy  vigor 
ous  state  of  the  spiritual  constitution,  ready 
for  every  good  work,  we  have  the  evidence  in 
ourselves  that  we  are  growing  ;  and  when  that 
is  wanting,  application  to  the  sincere  milk  of 
the  word  will  do  a  great  deal  more  than  poring 
into  ourselves  to  find  either  proof  that  we  are 
growing  or  not  growing." 

This  is  very  true,  very  judicious,  and  very 
important ;  but  then  it  must  not  be  abused 
and  allowed  to  degenerate  into  an  utter  care 
lessness  about  our  spiritual  state,  nor  abate 
that  holy  jealousy  over  ourselves,  and  that 
just  anxiety  to  grow  in  grace,  without  which 
declension  and  not  progress  will  be  our  con 
dition.  It  is  quite  true  that  our  chief  solici 
tude  should  be  not  to  neglect,  but  diligently  to 


102  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

use,  all  the  means  of  progress,  rather  than  an 
attempt,  as  by  a  spiritual  pedometer,  to  be 
perpetually  measuring  the  ground  over  which 
we  have  passed.  A  child  who  does  not  grow, 
who  finds  his  years  rolling  on  and  adding 
nothing  to  his  stature,  soon  becomes  anxious 
about  it,  and  inquires  into  the  cause  of  his  re 
maining  in  his  dwarfish  littleness.  And  when, 
therefore,  the  child  of  (rod,  or  one  that  pro 
fesses  to  be  such,  makes  no  advance  percepti 
ble  either  to  himself  or  others,  it  is  quite  time 
for  him  to  begin  to  be  anxious,  to  inquire  what 
has  stopped  his  progress,  and  to  apply  afresh 
to  all  the  appointed  means  for  his  spiritual 
advancement. 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  READER. 

You  now  see  what  is  meant  by  progressive 
religion.  You  cannot  be  ignorant  of  this  im 
portant  subject,  nor  plead  ignorance  for  the 
neglect  of  it.  You  see  clearly  it  is  not  merely 
an  uninterrupted  round  of  ceremonial  observ 
ances,  nor  merely  an  acquisition  of  knowledge, 
though  these  things  may  comport  with  it,  but 
that  it  is  an  advance  in  faith  and  holiness.  Do 


NATURE  OF  PROGRESS.  103 

you  understand  this  matter,  and  apprehend 
clearly  its  nature  as  well  as  its  necessity  ? 
Doss  that  one  impressive  word  growth,  growth, 
stand  out  clearly  defined,  luminously  seen,  im 
pressively  felt,  before  you  ?  If  so,  immediately 
enter  upon  a  course  of  self-scrutiny — diligent, 
impartial,  close  examination,  to  ascertain  if 
there  be  this  progress  in  you.  Again  enter  into 
your  closet,  shut  the  door,  and  commune  both 
with  your  own  heart  and  with  God,  and  say, 
as  in  his  sight, 

Am  I  as  really  in  earnest  as  I  once  was  ? 

I  have  changed  my  situation,  do  I  retain  my 
religion,  and  have  I  carried  into  new  circum 
stances  and  relations  my  former  earnestness  ? 

Am  I  advancing  in  my  knowledge  of  the 
Scriptures  and  the  great  truths  of  religion, 
gaining  clearer  and  more  distinct  apprehensions 
of  spiritual  things  ? 

Am  I  more  decided  and  resolute  and  set 
tled  in  all  my  religious  convictions  and  pious 
habits,  than  I  was  at  first  ? 

Is  my  faith  stronger  and  more  influential, 
and  am  I  less  troubled  with  doubts  and  fears, 
than  I  was  ? 


104  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

Am  I  really  holier  than  I  was?  Have  I 
gained  greater  power  over  my  corruptions  ? 

Am  I  more  spiritual  and  heavenly,  more  full 
of  devout  thoughts  and  affections  ? 

Do  I  improve  in  my  temper  by  becoming 
more  meek,  gentle,  forgiving,  and  kind  ? 

Have  I  learned  to  combine  more  of  the  gen 
erous  and  free  spirit  of  Christian  liberty  with 
an  equal  advance  in  holiness  ? 

Am  I  more  anxious  about  universal  and  un 
varying  consistency  of  conduct  ? 

Is  it  more  and  more  my  concern  to  be  active 
and  useful  ? 

Withal,  do  I  increase  in  humility  ?  Have  I 
a  deeper  and  deeper  sense  of  my  own  short 
comings,  and  a  growing  disposition  to  think 
better  of  others  and  lowlier  of  myself  ? 

Test  yourself,  very  searchingly,  by  such 
questions  as  these. 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  105 

CHAPTER   III. 

THE  MEANS  OF  PROGRESS. 

THIS  is  of  unspeakable  importance.  I  will 
suppose  that  some  by  the  reading  of  the  fore 
going  pages  begin  to  see  this  subject  in  a  light 
in  which  they  never  saw  it  before.  I  will  sup 
pose  that  a  new  anxiety  has  come  up  in  the 
mind  now  the  old  one  is  allayed,  and  that  the 
great  question  at  present  is  not,  "  What  shall  I 
do  to  be  saved?"  but,  "  What  shall  I  do  to  be 
sanctified  ?"  We  have  already  said  that  means 
must  be  used.  But  what  means  ? 

1.  There  must  be  a  deep  conviction  of  the 
necessity  and  importance  of  progress,  and  an 
intense  desire  to  attain  it. 

The  subject  must  lay  hold  of  the  mind  and 
possess  the  heart.  Will  a  man  increase  in 
knowledge,  in  wealth,  in  influence,  who  has  no 
desire  after  it  ?  What  object  ever  was  or  can 
be  obtained^ without  a  conviction  of  its  value  or 
a  wish  to  secure  it  ?  Is  it  not  the  desire  that 
originates  the  effort,  and  will  not  exertion  ever 
be  in  proportion  to  the  intensity  of  desire  ? 


106  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

What  prodigious  and  wonderful  efforts  have 
men  put  forth  after  an  object  upon  which  their 
hearts  were  set.  Look  at  the  tradesman  :  how 
will  he  toil,  rising  up  early  and  sitting  up  late, 
and  eating  the  bread  of  carefulness,  to  increase 
his  trade.  Look  at  the  student  panting  after 
knowledge  :  how  will  he  consume  his  days  and 
trim  his  midnight  lamp  to  increase  his  scientific 
stores.  Look  at  the  hero :  braving  all  the 
dangers  of  the  field,  and  the  hardships  of  the 
campaign,  to  increase  his  fame  and  to  acquire 
glory — which  is  but  the  name  vanity  turned 
into  an  idol.  Why,  why  all  this  intense  ener 
gy  ?  Because  they  have  a  deep,  but  mistaken 
sense  of  the  importance  of  the  object  of  pursuit, 
and  an  absorbing  and  overheated  desire  to  pos 
sess  it.  And  on  the  contrary,  why  is  it  that  so 
many  professing  Christians  do  not  make  progress, 
and  indeed  make  no  efforts  to  obtain  it  ?  Why, 
because  they  care  nothing  about  it.  To  take 
up  a  profession  is  all  they  desire ;  but  to  pro 
ceed  from  one  degree  of  piety  to  another,  to 
grow  in  grace,  to  go  on  unto  perfection,  is  no 
part  of  their  ambition.  How  many  are  there 
to  whom  if  wo  were  to  say,  "  Well,  now  you 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  107 

call  yourself  a  Christian,  and  wish  others  to 
consider  you  as  such,  and  you  are  of  course- 
eagerly  desirous  of  making  continual  advances 
in  knowledge,  faith,  and  holiness  ;  and  we  shall 
see  you  evidently  becoming  more  and  more  like 
Christ" — who,  I  say,  if  we  should  thus  address 
them,  would  look  wonderingly  in  our  face,  as  if 
they  did  not  comprehend  our  meaning ;  or  re 
proachfully,  as  if  we  questioned  their  sincerity  ; 
or  contemptuously,  as  if  we  were  indulging  in 
enthusiasm  or  mysticism,  and  wished  them  to 
be  as  visionary  as  ourselves.  Of  course  such  a 
frame  of  mind,  and  such  views  as  these,  are 
adverse  to  all  progress.  There  must  then  be 
concern  about  the  matter.  And  shall  there  be 
none?  What,  no  solicitude  to  have  more  of 
the  knowledge  of  truth,  of  faith  in  Christ,  of 
likeness  to  God,  of  meetness  for' heaven?  No 
desire  to  advance  in  such  things  ?  Is  it  possible 
to  be  a  Christian,  and  yet  destitute  of  this  ? 
No,  it  is  not.  I  tell  you,  it  is  not.  If  you 
have  110  concern  to  grow,  there  is  no  life  in 
you.  You  are  a  piece  of  dead  wood,  and  not 
a  living  branch — a  spiritual  corpse,  and  not  a 
livinsf  man.  In  this  state  there  can  be  no 


108  CHRISTIAN    PROGRESS. 

growth,  for  dead  things  never  grow ;  while 
on  the  other  hand,  the  very  desire  will  insure 
the  possession  of  its  object. 

2.  You  must  enter  deeply  into  that  "beati 
tude  of  our  Lord,  which  says,  "Blessed  are 
they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after  right 
eousness  ;  for  they  shall  be  filled."  Matt.  5  :  6. 
This  is  a  passage  too  much  overlooked  and 
forgotten  by  most  professing  Christians.  Its 
terms  are  exceedingly  strong,  its  sentiment 
amazingly  important.  Among  all  the  appetites 
of  our  animal  nature  none  is  so  strong,  none 
so  imperiously  demands  supply,  none  so  con 
stantly  returns,  none  inflicts  such  suffering 
when  not  supplied,  as  this  of  hunger  and  thirst. 
And  this  is  the  appetite  which,  in  the  figura 
tive  language  of  Scripture,  is  selected  to  ex 
press  the  vehement  desire  we  should  feel  after 
righteousness  or  holiness ;  and  it  is  not  only  one 
of  our  natural  instincts  of  this  kind,  but  both 
hunger  and  thirst,  that  are  spoken  of.  It  is 
not  the  faint  and  feeble  desire  which  by  one 
filled  almost  to  repletion  is  felt  after  some 
luxury,  which,  if  it  be  not  obtained,  the  person 
can  do  very  well  without.  Oh,  no ;  but  the 


MEANS  OF   PROG-HESS.  109 

insatiable,  unappeasable  desire  of  the  empty, 
hungry  stomach,  after  necessary  food,  that  is 
employed.  Such  should  be  the  longing  of 
every  renewed  soul  after  holiness.  Righteous 
ness  should  be  to  it  that  which  bread  is  to  the 
body,  and  in  reference  to  which  we  should  say, 
"  Evermore-  give  us  this  bread."  Instead  of 
those  longings  after  earthly  blessings  which 
characterize  the  worldly  mind — those  pantings 
after  wealth,  honor,  and  pleasure,  which  excite 
such  energies  and  call  forth  such  activities,  the 
mind  of  the  believer  should  be'  intent  on  spirit 
ual  blessings.  No  measure  of  holiness  to  which 
he  has  already  attained  should  satisfy  him. 
There  are  sins  yet  to  be  mortified,  and  he  must 
not  be  content  till  they  are  dead.  There  are 
heights  of  moral  excellence  above  him  which 
IIQ  has  not  reached,  and  he  should  long  to 
climb  up%to  them.  What  he  has  yet  attained 
to,  are  but  as  crumbs  to  a  hungry  man  who 
longs  for  the  full  meal,  or  drops  of  water  to  a 
thirsty  one  who  pants  for  the  copious  draught. 
It  is  astonishing  and  affecting  to  see  with  what 
low  degress  of  righteousness  some  professors 
are  satisfied.  How  little  they  seem  to  have  of 


110  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

the  spirit  of  holiness.  How  very  little  is  there 
of  forgetting  the  things  that  are  behind,  and 
pressing  forward  to  greater  things  yet.  How 
many  are  there  who  are  contented  with  the 
average  piety  of  the  church  and  the  age,  and 
seem  only  anxious  to  stand  well  in  the  estima 
tion  of  their  fellow- Christians  who  are  no  better 
than  themselves.  How  few  are  there  whom 
nothing  can  satisfy  but  an  ever-growing  con 
formity  to  the  divine  image. 

Perhaps  there  is  in  some  persons  a  sad  dis 
position  to  pervert  and  abuse  a  passage  of  most 
instructive  and  encouraging  and  cautionary 
import :  I  mean  the  question  which  was  asked 
concerning  the  small  beginnings  in  the  erection 
of  the  second  temple  at  Jerusalem,  "  Who  hath 
despised  the  day  of  small  things  ?"  Zech,  4:10. 
This  has  been  applied  also  in  a  spiritual  way  to 
the  commencement  of  religion  in  the  toul ;  and 
we  are  told  that  little  grace  is  better  than 
none  at  all— that  faith  is  still  faith  though  it 
be  weak,  just  as  diamonds  are  diamonds  and 
gold  is  gold,  though  it  be  in  small  pieces.  Or, 
to  return  to  the  idea  already  dwelt  upon,  life 
is  life  though  it  be  but  that  of  a  babe,  and 


MEANS  OF  PROCURESS.  Ill 

therefore  is  not  to  bo  despised.  We  know  it 
and  admit  it.  Bat  then  if  little  things  are  not 
to  be  despised,  ought  great  ones  to  be  so 
treated  ?  And  is  not  satisfaction  with  little 
things,  when  great  ones  may  be  obtained,  to 
despise  the  latter  ?  Be  it  so,  that  fragments 
of  gold  and  diamonds  are  not  to  be  rejected ; 
yet  who  are  contented  with  the  dust  of  either 
when  they  might  have  ingots  of  the  one,  or 
large  and  costly  jewels  of  the  fther  ?  No  ;  the 
least  measure  of  holiness  is  not  to  be  despised. 
It  contains  a  powerful  principle  of  expansion 
and  enlargement.  Does  the  gardener  despise 
the  germ  of  the  flower,  or  the  seed  of  a  plant, 
or  the  acorn  of  the  oak  ?  Or  does  the  parent 
despise  the  day  of  small  things  in  the  life  of 
his  babe  ?  No  ;  but  then  neither  the  gardener 
nor  the  parent  is  satisfied  with  the  day  of 
small  things.  So  neither  should  the  Christian. 
It  is  well  therefore  to  consider,  as  Barnes  the 
commentator  remarks,  that  there  is  no  piety 
in  the  world  which  is  not  the  result  of  cultiva 
tion,  and  which  cannot  be  increased  by  the 
degree  of  care  and  attention  bestowed  upon  it. 
No  one  becomes  eminently  pious,  any  more 


112  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

than  any  one  becomes  eminently  rich,  or  learn 
ed,  who  does  not  intend  it ;  and  ordinarily 
men  are,  in  religion,  what  they  intend  to  be. 
They  have  about  as  much  religion  as  they 
wish,  and  possess  about  the  characters  which 
they  design  to  possess.  "When  men  reach  ex 
traordinary  elevations  in  religion,  like  Baxter, 
Pay  son,  and  Edwards,  they  have  gained  only 
what  they  meant  to  gain ;  and  the  gay  and 
worldly  professors  of  religion,  who  have  little 
comfort  and  peace,  have  in  fact  the  characters 
which  they  designed  to  have. 

3.  Great  attention  to  self -cultivation,  spir 
itually  considered,  is  a  means  of  growth.  By 
this  I  mean  what  is  expressed  in  one  or  two 
passages  of  Scripture ;  such,  for  instance,  as 
the  exhortation,  "Keep  thy  heart  with  all 
diligence,  for  out  of  it  are  the  issues  of  life." 
Prov.  4 : 23.  It  is  the  heart,  the  great  vital 
spring  of  the  soul,  the  fountain  of  actions, 
the  centre  of  principle,  the  seat  of  motives — 
the  heart,  where  are  the  thoughts  and  feelings 
out  of  which  conduct  comes.  It  is  this  that 
must  be  the  first,  chief,  constant  object  of 
solicitude  to  the  Christian.  It  is  this  which 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  113 

God  sees,  and  as  God  sees  it,  and  because  God 
principally  looks  at  it,  that  must  "be  ever  upper 
most  in  our  concern.  To  keep  the  heart  must 
mean  exerting  ourselves  with  great  earnest 
ness,  in  dependence  upon  divine  grace,  to  pre 
serve  it  in  a  good  state ;  laboring  to  preserve 
its  vitality,  vigor,  and  purity.  "We  must  often 
ask  the  question,  "  In  what  state  is  my  heart  ? 
Are  my  thoughts  and  affections  in  a  good  spir 
itual  condition  ?"  It  is,  in  another  view  of  it, 
the  citadel  of  the  soul :  if  this  be  neglected, 
the  enemy  at  the  gates  will  soon  be  in  and 
take  possession.  Set  a  watch,  therefore,  upon 
the  heart.  Let  the  sentinel  be  never  off  duty, 
nor  sleeping  at  his  post.  Keep  out  evil  thoughts, 
and  unholy  affections,  and  vile  imaginations. 
"Without  great  vigilance  they  will  elude  obser 
vation.  As  soon  as  an  enemy  of  this  kind  is 
detected,  he  must  be  seized  and  made  captive, 
till  every  thought  is  brought  into  subjection  to 
Christ.  As  the  state  of  the  heart  is,  so  is  the 
man  in  reality,  and  before  God.  Discipline 
the  heart  then  * 

*  See  an  admirable  volume  lately  published,  entitled  "Heart 
Discipline,"  by  my  friend  the  Rev.  James  Cooper. 

Chr.  Prog.  8 


114     •;-         CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

But  there  is  a  second  passage  well  worthy 
the  attention  of  all  young  converts  ; .  I  mean 
where  Paul  exhorts  Timothy  thus:  " Exercise 
thyself  unto  godliness."  1  Tim.  4 : 7.  The 
word  in  the  original  is  very  strong,  and  might 
be  rendered  by  a  free  translation,  "  practise 
gymnastic  exercises  in  religion,"  like  the  an 
cient  competitors  in  the  Olympic  games.  "We 
say  also  of  soldiers  in  the  early  stage  of  their 
training,  "  They  are  practising  their  exercise" 
They  are  being  trained  in  what  they  do  not 
previously  know,  and  cannot  perform  without 
being  taught ;  and  to  learn  which,  and  do  it 
well,  requires  a  great  deal  of  labor.  So  it  is 
with  the  Christian ;  he  must  in  all  that  concerns 
true  godliness,  learn  his  exercise,  and  be  often 
thus  engaged.  Religion  and  religious  progress 
cannot  be  acquired  without  great  pains.  As  a 
man  cannot  be  at  once  a  good  soldier,  while  he 
is,  a  young  recruit  and  before  he  has  been 
drilled  upon  the  parade-ground,  so  no  one  can 
be  an  eminent  Christian  as  soon  as  he  is  con- 
verted,  and  before  he  has  been  at  his  drilling. 
Self-improvement  in  knowledge  by  the  student, 
and  in  business  by  the  tradesman,  are  the  re- 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  115 

suit  of  great  painstaking.  No  one  can  expect 
advancement  without  labor.  It  is  astonishing 
and  affecting  to  see  how  little  anxiety  there  is 
among  many  to  improve  themselves  in  religion. 

4.  One  great  means  of  progress  is  a  constant, 
earnest,  and  spiritual  attendance  upon  all  the 
appointed  means  of  growth. 

Private  prayer  is  essentially  necessary. 
"  And  thou,  when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy 
closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray 
to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father 
which  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  openly." 
Matt.  6:6.  A  spirit  of  prayer  is  so  essential 
to  personal  religion,  that  it  may  as  certainly  be 
said  that  it  is  a  dead  soul  in  which  there  is  not 
this  spirit,  as  it  may  of  the  body  that  it  is  a 
corpse  in  which  there  is  no  breath.  Prayer  is 
the  most  secret  intercourse  of  the  soul  with 
(rod — the  converse  of  one  heart  with  another. 
Prayer  requires  retirement :  a  real  Christian 
must  be  often  alone  with  God.  No  one  can 
make  progress  without  much  prayer.  Religion 
is  a  plant  that  for  growth  must  be  often  remov 
ed  into  the  shade.  It  will  be  scorched  and 
wither  if  it  be  always  kept  in  the  broad  sun- 


116  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

shine  of  publicity.  It  is  the  private  intercourse 
of  friends  that  increases  their  friendship.  None 
can  progress  in  love  to  God  without  this  pri 
vate  communion.  There  must  be  time  found 
and  fixed  for  prayer,  and  the  time  fixed  must 
be  kept.  That  which  is  left  to  be  done  at  any 
time,  is  likely  to  be  done  at  no  time.  There  is 
nothing  about  which  a  young  Christian  should 
be  more  anxious  than  maintaining  the  spirit,  the 
love,  the  practice  of  private  prayer  ;  and  nothing 
which  should  more  seriously  alarm  him,  than 
any  disposition  to  neglect  this.  He  who  makes 
any  excuse  for  omitting  the  appointed  hour  of 
visiting  a  friend,  must  be  in  a  fair  way  to  lose 
all  regard  for  him. 

But  there  are  also  public  as  well  as  private 
means  to  be  observed.  You  must  "  Remember 
the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  liohj."  How  neces 
sary  a  right,  though  not  a  gloomy  or  supersti 
tious  observance  of  this  day  is  to  the  preserva 
tion  and  strengthening  of  our  piety,  is  attested 
by  the  experience  of  others,  and  not  less  so  by 
our  own.  It  is  true  it  is  a  feast,  and  not  a  fast 
day,  and  should  be  kept  in  the  spirit  of  the 
new  and  not  of  the  old  covenant;  that  is, 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  117 

with  joy  and  freedom,  and  not  with  gloom  and 
bondage.  Still  it  must  be  serious  joy.  He 
who  passes  his  Sabbaths  in  frivolous  conversa 
tion  and  levity  of  spirit;  who  is  not  devout  in 
his  attendance  upon  the  means  of  grace ;  who 
does  not  make  the  best  of  the  precious  opportu 
nity  to  improve  his  religious  condition ;  who 
conducts  himself  much  as  on  other  days,  ex 
cept  that  he  does  not  buy  and  sell,  and  goes 
once  or  twice  to  the  house  of  (rod,  cannot  .expect 
to  get  on  in  religion.  Tell  me  how  a  professor 
spends  his  Sabbaths,  and  I  will  tell  you  in 
what  state  his  soul  is,  spiritually  considered. 

A  Christian  ought  to  be,  and  I  am  supposing 
he  is,  a  communicant  at  the  table  of  the  Lord. 
If  he  is  not,  he  ought  to  be.  It  is  by  way  of 
eminence  the  ordinance.  Apart  from  any  su 
perstitious  notion  of  it,  it  is  a  solemn  and  im 
pressive  solemnity.  As  creatures  formed  to  be 
moved,  as  well  as  instructed,  through  the  me 
dium  of  the  senses,  we  are  likely  to  be  affected 
by  those  symbols  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ  which,  with  such  awful,  though  silent 
eloquence,  speak  to  the  ear  of  faith  of  Him  who 
is  thus  set  forth  crucified  before  us.  Perhaps 


118  CHRISTIAN  PK.OG-RESS. 

there  is  no  ordinance  of  God  which,  when  ob 
served  in  a  proper  frame  of  mind,  speaks  so 
forcibly  to  our  hearts  and  operates  so  power 
fully  upon  our  whole  souls  as  this.  There, 
believer,  there  renew  your  faith  in  the  crucified 
Saviour ;  there  increase  your  love,  as  you  see 
his  love  so  strikingly  exhibited ;  and  there,  by 
the  mercies  of  God,  present  your  bodies  a  living 
sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable,  and  well-pleasing 
to  God.  There  consecrate  yourself  afresh  each 
time  to  his  service,  as  his  faithful  devoted  ser 
vant.  What  progress  can  you  expect  to  make 
if  you  neglect  this  institute  so  expressly  set  up, 
that  through  feeding  by  faith  on  the  great  sac 
rifice  offered  for  you  upon  the  cross,  you  might 
be  "  strengthened  with  all  might  by  the  Spirit 
in  the  inner  man." 

Connected  with  this,  is  an  attendance  upon 
the  solemnities  of  public  worship.  None  who 
make  any  pretensions  to  religion  can  altogether 
neglect  these.  All  such  persons  are  there  some 
part  of  the.  Sabbath.  But  is  it  not  too  obvious 
to  be  denied,  that  modern  habits  of  suburban 
residence  in  large  towns  are  introducing  a  most 
injurious  partial  neglect  of  public  worship. 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  119 

Once  on  the  Sabbath-day,  and  never  in  the 
week,  is  all  the  attendance  some  give  at  the 
house  of  God.  Can  there  he  progress  where 
this  is  the  case  ?  Can  the  soul  he  strong  and 
healthy  upon  such  scanty  fare  as  one  meal  a 
week  ?  They  who  would  grow  in  grace,  must 
love  the  habitation  of  God's  house ;  must  have 
the  one  desire  of  David  to  see  God's  power  and 
glory  in  the  sanctuary ;  must  know  something 
at  least  of  what  he  felt  when  he  said,  "  As  the 
heart  panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so  panteth 
my  soul  after  thee,  0  God.  My  soul  thirsteth 
for  G-od,  for  the  living  God  ;  when  shall  I  come 
and  appear  before  God  ?"  Psa.  42  :  1,  2.  It 
is  the  man  who  loves  the  house  of  God,  who 
will  put  himself  to  some  little  inconvenience, 
and  will  make  some  sacrifices  of  ease  to  be 
there,  who  is  likely  to  profit  by  the  appointed 
means.  It  is  those  that  are  planted  in  the 
courts  of  the  Lord  who  shall  flourish,  and  not 
those  who  are  only  occasionally  there. 

And  then  how  much  depends  upon  the  frame 
of  mind  in  which,  and  the  purpose  for  which, 
this  attendance  is  carried  on.  There  is  a  man 
ner  of  attending  upon  the  means  of  grace,  which 


120  CHRISTIAN 

instead  of  benefiting  the  soul  does  it  great 
harm.  Gospel  sermons  and  the  richest  devo 
tional  services  may  harden  the  heart  instead  of 
sanctifying  it,  and  be  a  savor  of  death  unto 
death  instead  of  life  unto  life.  Let  us  never 
forget,  that  to  be  profited,  that  is,  to  be  spirit 
ually  improved  in  knowledge,  faith,  holiness, 
joy,  and  love,  is  the  end  of  hearing  sermons, 
and  not  merely  to  have  our  taste  gratified  by 
genius,  eloquence,  and  oratory.  I  know  scarce 
ly  any  thing  of  more  importance  to  put  before 
a  young  Christian,  than  the  necessity,  in  order 
to  a  healthful  state  of  religion,  of  a  right  end 
and  object  in  hearing  the  word  of  God.  "We 
live  in  an  age  when  talent  is  idolized,  and 
genius  adored.  This  is  "  the  image  of  jealousy 
which  maketh  jealous"  in  the  temple  of  the 
Lord.  With  too  many  it  is  not  the  truth  of 
God  that  is  thought  of,  valued,  and  delighted 
in,  but  the  talent  of  man  with  which  it  is  set 
forth.  Now  we  admit  that  it  is  almost  impos 
sible  not  to  admire  and  be  affected  by  genius. 
Mind  must  admire  the  nobler  exhibitions  of 
mind  ;  and  cultivated  intellects  cannot  put  up 
with  the  crude  effusions  of  ignorance  »r  dul- 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  121 

ness.  To  such  persons,  it  is  not  only  offensive 
to  taste,  but  to  piety,  to  hear  such  sublime  and 
glorious  themes  as  the  gospel  contains  set  forth 
in  the  mean  and  tattered  habiliments  of  vulgar 
language  and  mean  thought.  Who  would  like 
to  have  the  richest  delicacies  served  up  on  the 
meanest  or  broken  earthenware  ?  Even  in 
regard  to  books,  elegant  typography  and  good 
paper  add  to  the  pleasure  of  reading,  even 
where  the  matter  is  instructive  and  the  sub 
ject  of  perusal  is  interesting.  But  it  would 
argue  an  ill-regulated  mind,  in  the  one  case  to 
be  fonder  of  the  elegance  of  the  dish  than  of 
the  good  food  which  it  contains  ;  and  in  the 
other,  of  the  type,  paper,  and  binding  of  the 
book,  than  of  the  momentous  subject  on  which 
it  treats.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  give  a  more 
important  piece  of  advice  to  one  setting  out  on 
the  ways  of  G-od,  than  our  Lord's  words,  "  TAKE 
HEED  HOW  you  hear."  "We  should  hear  sermons 
with  something  of  the  same  state  of  mind,  and  for 
the  same  purpose,  as  we  should  directions  from  a 
physician  concerning  our  health,  or  from  a  law 
yer  how  to  a  vert  an  impending  sentence  of  death. 
Intimate  converse  with  the  word  of  God  is 


122  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

essential  to  progress.  We  must  neither  neglect 
nor  idolize  the  preacher.  The  sermon  in  the 
house  of  Grod  must  not  displace  the  Bible  from 
our  hand.  To  he  contented  with  the  public 
ministry  without  the  private  searching  of  the 
Bible,  is  virtually  so  far  to  turn  Papists,  or  at 
any  rate  to  act  like  them.  It  is  painful  to 
think  how  little  use  multitudes  make  of  their 
Bibles.  It  is  a  question  which  might  bring  a 
blush,  or  ought  to  do  so,  upon  many  a  professor's 
cheek,  "  How  many  chapters  of  God's  holy 
word  have  you  read  the  last  week  or  month  ?" 
Not  that  the  Scriptures  should  be  merely  read 
for  the  sake  of  being  read.  Some  no  doubt 
prescribe  to  themselves  the  task  of  reading  so 
many  chapters  every  day;  and  perhaps  with 
much  the  same  motive  as  the  Papist  repeats 
his  Ave  Marias,  or  his  Paternosters  :  as  a  kind 
of  penance.  This  is  not  what  we  mean :  and 
we  would  at  once  suggest,  that  as  in  eating  it 
is  not  the  quantity  of  food  taken  into  the 
stomach,  but  the  quantity  that  can  be  digested, 
which  keeps  up  our  strength  and  promotes  our 
health  ;  so  it  is  not  the  quantity  of  Scripture 
read,  but  the  quantity  studied,  understood,  and 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  123 

applied,  that  does  us  good.  One  verse  pon 
dered  upon,  felt,  applied,  is  better  than  a  whole 
chapter  or  book  read  negligently,  thoughtless 
ly,  and  without  self- application.  Not  that  a 
verse  a  day  is  enough  spiritual  food  for  any 
one.  It  may  be  feared  that  not  a  few  have 
abused  those  little  manuals  of  piety  got  up  for 
the  edification  of  persons  who  really  cannot 
command  time  for  much  reading ;  I  mean  the 
"  text-a-day  "  books,  which  are  now  so  com 
mon.  Surely  they  who  can  command  time, 
should  hardly  be  satisfied  with  such  a  crumb 
of  the  bread  of  life  as  this.  A  real,  devout, 
and  intelligent  study  of  the  Scriptures,  then,  is 
essential  to  great  progress  in  the  life  of  Grod. 
"  Man  liveth  not  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every 
word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  Grod." 
To  every  young  convert,  therefore,  we  say, 
SEARCH  the  Scriptures  daily.  Meditate  on  the 
law  of  Grod  day  and  night.  Try  how  much 
of  the  word  of  God  you  can  understand,  and 
what  is  more,  try  how  much  you  can  practise. 
Study  the  word  of  Grod  with  prayer  for  divine 
teaching.  Take  up  David's  petition,  "  Open 
thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  wondrous 


124  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

things  out  of  thy  law."  Remember  this  also, 
there  is  much  corruption  in  your  heart  gen 
erating  a  false  bias,  and  beclouding  your  judg 
ment,  and  likely  therefore  to  lead  you  to  mis 
conception  and  error.  Beseech  of  G-od  to  send 
forth  his  Spirit  into  your  heart  to  purify  it  from 
depravity,  that  your  understanding  may  be 
better  preserved  from  error.  Enter  deeply  into 
the  meaning  and  spirit  of  that  remarkable 
saying  of  our  Lord,  "  If  any  man  will  do  his," 
God's,  "  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine, 
whether  it  be  of  (rod,  or  whether  I  speak 
of  myself. "  John  7:17.  In  this  important 
passage  we  are  taught  that  the  disposition  of 
the  heart  has  much  to  do  with  the  views  and 
opinions  of  the  intellect.  In  all  moral  questions 
it  must  be  so.  A  sincere  wish  and  purpose  to 
do  the -will  of  God,  will  be  our  best  way  to 
know  the  mind  of  God.  An  honest  heart  is 
the  most  likely  means  to  gain  a  correct  judg 
ment.  True  it  is,  that  we  must  in  some  degree 
know  the  mind  of  God  in  order  to  do  his  will ; 
but  a  desire  to  do  his  will  is  also  the  way  to 
know  it  more  perfectly.  We  must  have  know 
ledge  to  produce  holiness,  but  holiness  will 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  125 

prepare  us  for  more  knowledge.  And  the 
knowledge  we  acquire  in  this  way  will  be  of  a 
spiritual  and  experimental  kind.  We  must 
give  up  all  preconceived  ideas,  all  prejudices, 
all  pride  of  intellect,  and  go  in  humility  to  the 
Scriptures  as  learners. 

5.  A  deep  conviction  and  ever-present  sense 
of  the  need  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  accompanied 
by  a  constant  dependence  upon  him,  is  indis 
pensable  to  progress  in  the  divine  life.  "With 
out  this  the  soul  can  no  more  grow  in  grace, 
than  the  produce  of  the  earth  can  be  brought 
forth  without  the  genial  influences  of  the 
heavens.  "Whatever  means  are  used,  and  all 
covenanted  and  appropriate  ones  must  be  used, 
still  our  dependence  for  their  efficiency  must 
be  upon  (rod's  blessing.  Hence  says  the  apos 
tle,  "  If  we  live  in  the  Spirit,  let  us  also  walk 
in  the  Spirit."  Gal.  5  : 25.  First,  as  in  the 
body,  there  must  be  the  principle  of  life,  then 
the  activities  of  that  principle.  And  in  both 
natural  and  spiritual  existence,  it  may  be  said, 
in  God  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being. 
Agreeably  also  to  this,  is  the  other  exhortation 
of  the  same  apostle,  "  Work  out  your  salvation 


126  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

with  fear  and  trembling,  for  it  is  God  which, 
worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his 
good  pleasure."  Phil.  2  :  13.  This  is  one  of 
the  most  instructive  and  important  passages  of 
the  New  Testament.  Now,  it  must  he  observed 
that  this  was  addressed  to  those  who  were  sup 
posed  to  be  Christians,  who  were  already  saved, 
though  not  formally  and  finally  possessed  of 
salvation ;  and  yet  they  are  commanded  to 
work  out  their  salvation.  Of  course,  therefore, 
it  did  not  mean  works  for  justification,  for  this 
was  already  completed.  It  means,  "  Go  on 
working  in  your  sanctification,  with  a  view  to 
the  end  of  your  faith,  the  salvation  of  your  souls. 
Go  on  earnestly  in  the  way  of  holy  walking, 
even  to  the  close  of  life,  for  though  you  cannot 
be  saved  by  and  for  your  works,  you  cannot  be 
saved  without  them  ;  nor  can  you  be  saved 
unless  you  continue  in  them  to  the  end."  This 
is  also  to  be  done  "  with  fear  and  trembling," 
that  is,  with  all  that  deep  solicitude  which  he 
might  be  supposed  to  feel,  who  knows  he  has 
so  important  an  interest  at  stake  as  an  immor 
tal  soul.  The  most  confident  hope  that  we  are 
in  a  state  of  salvation  should  not,  in  the  smallest 


MEANS  OF  PROORESS.  127 

degree,  abate  our  solicitude  about  our  salvation. 
But  now  observe  the  motive  :  "For  it  is  God 
that  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do" 
God's  working  is  not  mentioned  as  a  reason 
why  we  should  not  work  ourselves,  but  as  an 
inducement  to  engage  us  in  an  earnest  and 
diligent  cooperation  with  him.  The  meaning 
is,  Grod  exerts  a  certain  influence  upon  our 
minds  to  produce  a  certain  effect  on  us  ;  that 
effect  is  "  to  will,"  that  is,  to  "  choose"  to  be 
holy  ;  "  to  do,"  that  is,  to  perform  holy  actions. 
This  effect  in  us  is  the  end  and  purpose  of  his 
influence  upon  us.  It  is  not  Grod  who  wills 
and  acts  for  us,  but  we  who  will  and  act  our 
selves  under  his  influence.  The  mode  of  thi? 
divine  influence  we  cannot  explain.  It  is  not 
a  physical  force,  such  as  is  exerted  on  passive 
unintelligent  matter  ;  nor  is  it  the  mere  moral 
force  of  persuasion,  such  as  one  man  exerts 
upon  another  by  mere  argument  and  entreaty  ; 
but  it  is  an  influence  of  a  peculiar  kind,  and 
peculiar  to  this  subject,  the  operation  of  the 
divine  Spirit  upon  the  human  mind,  causing 
it  to  understand  and  yield  to  the  power  of 
truth  as  set  forth  in  the  gospel,  and  addressed 


128  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

to  man's  intellect.  "We  see  in  this  passage, 
then,  what  every  young  convert  should  very 
distinctly  notice  and  constantly  remember,  the 
union  of  human  activity  and  divine  agency. 
"We  can  do  nothing  good  for  ourselves  without 
(rod's  grace  working  in  us,  and  God's  grace 
never  works  in  us  but  to  lead  us  to  do  that 
which  is  good  ourselves.  "We  are  not  to  sit 
down  in  indolent  inactivity  waiting  for  God's 
grace  to  set  us  upon  working ;  but  are  without 
delay  to  begin  working  in  a  spirit  of  dependence 
upon  God's  grace.  The  husbandman  sows  his 
seed  in  expectation  of  the  cooperation  of  the 
influences  of  the  heavens ;  and  so  must  the 
Christian  go  to  his  work.  God's  grace  comes 
not  upon  the  idle,  but  upon  the  diligent. 

Christians  in  the  early  stage  of  their  religious 
experience  are  but  too  apt  to  fall  into  one  or 
other  of  the  extremes  of  leaving  God  to  do  all, 
or  attempting  to  do  all  themselves.  The  most 
common  error  is  the  latter.  Full  of  the  ardor 
of  first  love,  they  make  resolutions,  lay  down 
plans,  enter  upon  a  course  of  action,  too  often 
in  their  own  strength.  They  soon  meet  with 
checks  and  defeats.  Their  resolutions  are 


MEANS  OF  r&OG-RESS.  129 

broken,  their  plans  frustrated,  and  their  course 
impeded  by  unsuspected  difficulties  or  success 
ful  temptations.  Disheartened  and  discourag 
ed,  they  are  ready  to  give  all  up,  and  walk  the 
ways  of  G-od  no  more.  Let  them  rather  learn 
the  lesson  of  the  great  apostle  who  said,  "  When 
I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong ;"  or  that  other 
lesson,  "Yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  in 
me."  "  Be  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the 
power  of  his  might"  You  cannot  be  too  active 
as  regards  your  own  efforts ;  you  cannot  be  too 
dependent  as  regards  divine  grace.  Do  every 
thing  as  if  God  did  nothing:  depend  upon 
God  as  if  he  did  every  thing.  Hence,  do  all  in 
a  spirit  of  prayer.  Go  to  every  sermon,  every 
book,  especially  the  Bible,  every  effort  in  a  spirit 
of  prayer.  This  is  to  pervade  every  thing. 
Prayer  is  the  golden  thread  that  is  to  run  through 
all  our  actions,  stringing  them  all  together,  and 
suspending  them  all  upon  the  hand  of  God. 

6.  The  company,  conversation,  and  fellow 
ship  of  established  and  earnest  Christians, 
will  be  of  great  service  to  the  young  disciple. 
"  As  iron  sharpeneth  iron,  so  a  man  sharpeneth 
the  countenance  of  his  friend."  Prov.  27  : 17. 

Chr.  Prog.  9 


130  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS: 

The  allusion  is  familiar,  but  it  is  very  illustra 
tive.  The  knife  whetted  upon  the  steel  acquires 
a  sharper  edge.  By  the  intercourse  of  friends 
of  congenial  minds,  knowledge  is  communicat 
ed  from  the  more  to  the  less  intelligent ;  ani 
mation,  encouragement,  and  courage  from  the 
lively  and  the  sanguine  to  the  dull,  the  timid, 
and  the  gloomy  ;  caution,  wisdom,  and  modes 
ty  from  the  more  to  the  less  prudent  and  dis 
creet  ;  and  exhilaration  from  the  joyful  to  the 
sad.  Thus  the  sympathies  of  friendship  are 
made  conducive  to  the  advantage  of  those  who 
enjoy  them.  Sharpening  indeed  must  have 
been  the  intercourse  with  Christ  on  the  way  to 
Emmaus,  when  the  hearts  of  the  disciples 
burned  within  them  as  he  opened  their  under 
standings  to  know  the  Scriptures.  Even  tho 
apostle  Paul  himself,  great  and  illustrious  as 
he  was,  did  not  feel  himself  lifted  above  these 
sympathies  of  Christian  friendship ;  even  he 
was  so  cheered  by  the  conference  and  coun 
tenance  of  friends,  that  he  longed  to  be  "some 
what  filled  with  their  company ;"  and  when, 
in  a  moment  of  dejection,  on  his  way  to  Rome, 
he  saw  the  three  brethren  who  had  "  come  to 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  131 

meet  him  as  far  as  Appii  Forum  and  the  Three 
Taverns,"  he  recovered  from  his  depression, 
'*  thanked  (rod,  and  took  courage."  Hence, 
then,  the  necessity  and  advantage  of  Christian 
fellowship  and  religious  friendship,  and  I  seri 
ously  and  earnestly  advise  all  young  converts 
to  cultivate  it.  They  should  not  remain  in 
solitude,  having  none  with  whom  to  exchange 
their  thoughts,  feelings,  and  solicitudes  on  those 
momentous  topics  which  have  lately  possessed 
their  minds.  It  is  not  good  for  them  in  this 
situation  "to  be  alone."  Solitary  and  seclud 
ed  piety,  like  the  fire  of  a  single  coal,  burns 
feebly  ;  but  like  that,  is  more  easily  kept  alive 
and  kindled  to  a  flame  by  contact  with  other 
coals.  Great  care,  however,  is  necessary  in 
the  selection  of  companions.  This  is  true  in 
reference  to  all  stages  of  our  Christian  history, 
but  especially  to  the  first.  Those  wlio  are 
established  in  the  divine  life  can  bear  with  less 
injury  the  influence  of  persons  whose  taste, 
habits,  and  conversation  are  uncongenial  with 
the  spirit  of  true  piety,  than  can  the  young , 
convert.  It  is  therefore  important  he  should 
choose  for  his  associates  not  only  those  who. are 


132  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

truly,  but  tliose  who  are  eminently  pious. 
There  is  among  those  whom  we  may  hope  to 
be  sincere  in  their  profession  a  very  great  dif 
ference  as  regards  the  degree  of  their  personal 
godliness.  As  there  are  those  who  are  only 
almost  Christians,  there  are  others  of  whom  it 
may  be  said,  they  are  only  just  Christians. 
While  the  former  seem  only  just  without  the 
line  of  demarcation  between  the  converted  and 
unconverted,  the  latter  only  just  within  it. 
Their  attainments  are  so  slender,  their  religion 
is  so  feeble,  their  conversation  and  spirit  are 
so  worldly  and  trifling,  that  it  is  difficult  to 
determine  their  real  spiritual  character.  These 
are  not  the  associates  which  will  help  on  the 
young  believer.  They  will  damp  his  zeal  and 
cool  his  first  love.  It  will  be  like  plunging  his 
knife  into  earth,  which  instead  of  sharpening 
it,  will  take  off  its  edge ;  or  like  bearing  his 
newly  lighted  taper  into  foul  air,  which  will 
cause  it  to  burn  dimly,  if  it  does  not  extinguish 
it.  Instead  of  this,  the  inquirer  after  holiness 
and  higher  sanctification  should  associate  with 
those  who  are  as  earnest  as  himself,  or  even 
more  so  :  whose  intelligence  will  instruct  hi  -a ; 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  133 

whose  example  will  guide  him ;  whose  con 
versation  will  inspire  him  ;  whose  cautions  will 
warn  him.  Let  him  seek  companions  whose 
society  will  be  as  a  prop  round  which  his  own 
young  plant  can  entwine  itself  for  support  and 
growth,  and  by  whose  friendly  aid  his  yet  feeble 
tendrils  shall  be  well  sustained. 

7.  Religious  reading  is  of  great  service  to 
all,  whether  old  or  young  in  the  Christian  life 
The  Bible  I  know  is  the  book  of  books,  and 
should  be  supplanted  by  no  other.  But  we 
would  not  imitate  the  conduct  of  the  Caliph 
Omar,  who  committed  the  library  of  Alexan 
dria  to  the  flames,  under  the  absurd  idea  that 
if  the  books  contained  only  what  was  approved 
by  the  Koran,  they  were  useless  ;  if  what  was 
contrary  to  it,  they  were  pernicious.  Our 
religious  literature  is  as  valuable  as  it  is 
extensive.  If  it  contains  no  other  religious 
truth  than  that  which  is  in  the  Bible,  which  if 
it  be  orthodox  of  course  it  cannot,  it  is  still 
immensely  valuable  as  explaining  and  enforc 
ing  that  which  is  in  the  Bible.  It  is  one  part 
of  the  creed  of  Popery  that  the  Bible  does  not 
contain  the  whole  word  of  God,  for  tradition 


134  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

is  a  part  of  it ;  and  we  scruple  not  to  aver 
that  their  oral  law  is  in  many  things  opposed 
to  the  written  one.  "We  reject  all  such  un 
authorized  and  wicked  attempts  to  corrupt  the 
divine  testimony,  and  abide  close  to  the  writ 
ten  law  or  holy  Scripture.  But  though  we 
deny  authority  to  the  works  of  men,  we  attach 
great  importance  to  them  as  eminently  useful 
in  helping  you  to  understand  the  word  of  Grod, 
and  therefore  earnestly  recommend  the  perusal 
of  them.  To  pretend  to  select  from  the  flood 
of  publications  which  is  flowing  in  upon  us  in 
this  extraordinary  age  any  works  that  might 
be  recommended  would  be  difficult  and  un 
necessary,  and  had  better  be  left  to  the  coun 
sel  of  those  ministers  with  whom  all  young 
disciples  are  connected,  and  who,  from  a  know 
ledge  of  their  state  of  mind  or  advance  in 
religious  subjects,  might  be  supposed  better  to 
understand  what  is  suitable  for  them.  They 
who  are  really  anxious  for  progress  in  the  di 
vine  life,  will  not  content  themselves  with  the 
parlor  reading  of  whatever  religious  books  cr 
periodicals  may  happen  to  bo  thrown  in  their 
way,  but  will  have  some  biographical  or  devo- 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  135 

tional  work  as  a  closet  companion,  the  pages  of 
which  will  be  prayerfully  read  in  those  seasons 
of  retirement  when  the  soul  secludes  herself 
from  all  human  society  to  converse  with  God. 
8.  Occasional  seasons  of  extraordinary  de 
votion^  self-examination,  and  humiliation,  will 
he  found  eminently  conducive  to  progress.  I 
am  of  course  supposing,  for  I  have  already 
prescribed  it,  that  a  regular  course  of  private 
prayer  is  kept  up.  But  we  all  know  that 
regularity  is  apt  to  degenerate  into  formality ; 
and  what  is  customary,  into  mere  routine. 
There  may  be  the  most  exact  order,  and  the 
most  constant  observance  of  religious  exercises, 
and  yet  there  may  be  nothing  better  than  a 
dull  round  of  observances.  Hence  it  is  indis 
pensable  that  there  should  be  occasional  sea 
sons  of  unusual  devotion,  when  the  soul  shall 
take  as  exact  account  as  it  can  of  its  state  and 
condition.  What  has  been  already  said  on  the 
subject  of  an  excessive  anxiety  about  our 
growth  leading  to  almost  a  neglect  of  the 
means  of  progress,  in  an  inquiry  into  the 
reality  of  progress,  should  be  borne  in  mind. 
But  still  occasional  examination  into  the  state 


136  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

of  our  profession  cannot  be  wrong,  but  must 
be  right.  A  tradesman  who  is  always  taking 
stock,  under  a  fidgety  anxiety  about  his  trade, 
would  only  divert  his  attention  from  that 
industry  and  persevering  effort  which  are 
essential  to  success.  Still,  he  ought  occasion 
ally  to  do  this,  for  how  else  can  he  know  how 
he  is  going  on,  or  whether  he  is  not  going 
back.  So  also  a  nervous  person  always  fear 
ful  about  his  health,  and  ever  inquisitive  into 
symptoms  and  poring  into  books  to  see  how  ill 
he  is,  instead  of  using  all  the  means  of  obtain 
ing  and  preserving  health,  is  not  very  likely 
ever  to  be  well.  Yet  sometimes,  provided  it 
does  not  occur  too  often  or  hinder  him  from 
present  duties,  he  may  inquire  whether  some 
chronic  complaints  are  giving  way,  and  whether 
his  constitution  is  strengthening.  We  surely 
ought  not  to  be  less  anxious  about  our  soul's 
health  than  we  are  about  that  of  our  body ; 
and  though  a  religious  nervousness  about  theii 
soul,  which  really  does  distress  some  good 
people,  should  not  be  fostered,  still  an  occasional 
examination  into  our  spiritual  condition  ought 
to  be  instituted,  and  is  really  essential  to  prog- 


MEANS  OF  PROG-RESS.  137 

ress.  I  do  not  see  how  we  are  to  know  what 
corruptions  exist  and  are  to  he  mortified,  or 
what  graces  languish  and  need  to  be  revived, 
without  occasional  more  minute  inspection 
than  we  give  to  the  subject  in  our  ordinary 
conduct.  In  this  age  when  secular  matters 
are  so  pressing,  I  may  say,  so  engrossing  and 
absorbing ;  when  business  so  encroaches  on 
devotion,  and  the  time  formerly  given  to  the 
closet  is  taken  away  to  be  given  to  the  shop ; 
when  all  men  are  living  in  a  hurry,  and  life 
itself  is  one  constant  bustle  ;  surely,  I  say,  at 
such  a  time  as  this,  it  is  necessary  sometimes 
to  step  out  of  the  circle,  and  to  enter  the  closet 
for  pressing  home  upon  the  conscience  the 
momentous  question,  "How  am  I  going  on  in 
my  heavenly  course  ?"  Such  seasons  may  be 
found,  and  if  it  can  be  at  no  other  time,  and 
in  no  other  way,  it  is  worth  while  to  give  up 
occasionally  a  sermon,  and  to  spend  the  hour 
or  two  which  would  be  otherwise  devoted  to 
that  exercise  in  solitary  communion  with  our 
own  heart,  with  our  Bible,  and  with  our  God. 
9.  This  enumeration  would  be  incomplete 
were  I  to  leave  out  from  it,  as  a  means  of  prog- 


138  CHRISTIAN  PROORESS. 

ress,  those  various  afflictive  events  with,  which 
it  pleases  God  sometimes  to  try,  to  shake,  and 
ultimately  to  settle  and  strengthen  the  faith  of 
his  people.  Plants  and  trees  not  unfrequently, 
in  very  dry  seasons,  require  watering  at  the 
time  of  or  soon  after  their  planting ;  and  indeed 
all  vegetable  life  depends  much  on  the  rain  and 
the  dew  for  its  growth.  Hence  God  said  to 
the  Jews,  "I  will  be  as  the  dew  unto  Israel." 
Constant  sunshine,  especially  for  youthful 
vegetation,  is  unfriendly  to  prosperity.  Hence 
God  sometimes  sees  it  necessary  to  darken  the 
soul  with  cloud  shadows,  and  cause  the  clouds 
themselves  to  pour  down  their  contents  on 
the  young  convert.  Disappointed  hopes  of  a 
worldly  nature,  frustrated  schemes  of  happi 
ness,  and  bodily  sickness,  even  thus  early 
come  on  some  persons,  all  the  more  painful 
and  depressing  because  occurring  at  the  outset 
of  life.  "What,"  says  the  early  sufferer, 
"must  I  so  soon  prove  how  treacherous  are  the 
smiles  of  the  world ;  so  soon  learn  by  expe 
rience  that  man  is  born  to  sorrow  as  the  sparks 
fly  upward  ?  Must  my  very  morning  of  life 
be  overcast,  and  the  first  stage  of  my  journey 


MEANS'  OF  PROG-RESS.  139 

be  amidst  storms?  Is  my  destiny  so  soon 
developed  to  be  one  of  grief  and  lamentation  ?" 
Hush  those  complaints,  dry  those  tears,  dis 
miss  this  foreboding,  my  young  friend.  It  is 
wisdom,  though  you  cannot  understand  it ; 
and  mercy,  though  you  cannot  at  present  see 
it.  Have  you  ne^er  read  what  is  said  by  the 
weeping  prophet,  "It  is  good  for  a  man  that 
he  bear  the  yoke  in  his  youth."  Lam.  3  : 24. 
Observe,  it  is  not  said,  it  is  "pleasant,"  but 
"good."  At  the  very  outset  of  life  take  up  the 
conviction  that  every  thing  is  good  for  us  that 
is  good  for  our  souls  ;  and  that  G-od  is  the  best 
judge  of  what  is  good  for  them.  That  very 
disappointment  or  other  kind  of  affliction 
which  cost  you  so  many  tears,  such  sleepless 
nights,  such  distress  by  days,  was  just  the 
thing  which  your  heavenly  Father  saw  to  be 
necessary  at  that  time  for  your  spiritual  benefit. 
You  were  concerned  about  religion,  and  seemed 
in  earnest ;  but  you  were  in  danger  of  being 
too  much  taken  up  with  the  world  which  had 
come  out  to  meet  you  on  your  way  with  smil 
ing  face  and  open  arms.  The  syren  song  had 
sent  its  music  into  your  ears,  and  you  were 


140  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

all  but  ravished  and  ruined  "by  the  strain. 
And  then  God,  by  the  affliction  he  sent  upon 
you,  warned  you  of  your  danger,  and  plucked 
you  from  its  jaws.  Many  in  your  situation 
have  been  treated  in  the  same  manner,  and 
have  at  length  been  compelled  to  say, 

"  Foolish  and  vain,  I  went  astray 

Ere  I  had  felt  thy  scourges,  Lord  ; 
I  left  my  guide  and  lost  my  way, 

But  now  I  love  and  keep  thy  word." 

You  recollect,  perhaps,  what  God  said  to  the 
Jews,  "1  spake  unto  thee  in  thy  prosperity ;  but 
thou  saidst,  I  will  not  hear.  This  hath  been  thy 
manner  from  thy  youth,  that  thou  obeyedst  not 
my  voice."  Jer.  22  :  21.  It  required  a  change 
of  circumstances  to  bring  them  to  a  right  mind, 
and  that  change  came  and  effected  its  own 
gracious  purpose.  Perhaps  this  may  have  been 
the  case  with  you.  Full  of  the  buoyancy  and 
eager  expectation  of  youth,  it  was  not  likely 
religion  could  flourish  in  such  a  state  of  mind 
as  that,  and  as  God  had  purposes  of  mercy 
towards  you  he  sent  trials  that  he  might  effect 
his  gracious  designs.  How  strikingly  is  it  said 
of  Israel,  "I  will  go  and  return  to  my  place  till 
they  acknowledge  their  offence,  and  seek  my 


MEANS  OF  PROG-RESS.  141 

face ;  in  their  affliction  they  will  seek  me  early." 
Hos.  o :  15.  Yes,  many,  very  many,  will  have 
cause  through  eternity  to  say, 

"  Oh,  hadst  them  left  me  unchastised, 
Thy  precepts  I  had  still  despised ; 
And  still  the  snare,  in  secret  laid, 
Had  my  unwary  feet  betrayed." 

I  entreat  you,  therefore,  to  enter  into  Grod's 
gracious  purpose,  and  thus  gather  grapes  as  it 
were  from  thorns,  and  figs  from  thistles,  by  ren 
dering  all  your  sorrows  a  means  of  progress  in 
tha  divine  life.  Turn  all  these  painful  events 
to  a  good  purpose  to  check  your  vanity,  to  curb 
your  levity,  and  to  establish  you  in  the  ways 
of  the  Lord.  Let  them  show  you  the  need  of 
religion  as  a  source  cf  consolation  amidst  the 
vicissitudes  of  life,  the  power  of  religion  to 
support  you  under  them,  and  its  ineffable  sweet 
ness  to  console  as  well  as  to  support.  I  just 
now  compared  affliction  to  water,  for  so  is  it 
often  represented  in  the  word  of  God ;  but  not 
less  frequently  is  it  compared  also  to  the  action 
of  fire.  Perhaps  you  know  that  in  enamel 
painting  upon  china  this  agent  is  employed. 
The  colors  are  laid  on,  and  then  the  article  is 


142  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

put  into  a  small  furnace,  and  subjected  to  con 
siderable  heat,  which  at  once  brings  out  some 
of  the  colors  more  vividly,  and  gives  fixedness 
and  perpetuity  to  them  all  in  the  painting.  In 
delineating  the  divine  image  upon  your  soul,  • 
something  like  this  method  of  painting  may  by 
the  divine  hand  be  adopted,  and  the  spiritual 
coloring  may  be  burnt  in  and  perpetuated  by 
the  furnace  of  affliction.  Consider  it  a  mercy 
to  have  the  work  of  grace  carried  on,  though  it 
be  by  a  process  so  painful  as  this. 

It  will  be  very  clearly,  and  it  may  be  hoped 
impressively  seen  by  these  particulars,  that 
real  religion  is  a  very  great  thing,  a  matter  of 
immense  importance,  and  requiring  great  exer 
tion.  No  doubt  many  who  have  made  a  pro 
fession  of  it  have  formed  very  inadequate  ideas 
of  it,  and  are  fearfully  deceiving  themselves, 
and  it  becomes  all  who  shall  read  these  pages 
to  inquire  what  they  know  of  these  things. 
Religion,  as  we  have  shown  you,  is  a  battle 
which  requires  complete  armor,  and  the  busy 
use  of  weapons,  in  order  to  secure  a  doubtful 
victory — a  race  in  which  many  run,  but  in 
which  few  will  gain  the  prize — a  narrow  path 


MEANS  OF  PHOG-RESS.  14.3 

by  which  many  shall  seek  to  pass  through  the 
gate  of  life,  and  by  which  the  few  only  who 
strive  shall  make  good  their  entrance  into 
the  paradise  of  God.  It  is  only  by  dint  of 
painful  and  assiduous  striving  that  salvation  is 
at  length  secured  ;  and  just  as  the  racer  may 
be  said  scarcely  to  have  won,  who  with  the 
utmost  power  and  fleetness  makes  good  his  dis 
tance  by  a  hair's  breadth  of  space,  or  within  a 
moment  of  time,  so  is  it  said  of  the  righteous 
by  the  apostle,  that  they  are  but  "  scarcely 
saved."  1  Pet.  4  : 18.  This  is  a  tremendous 
passage,  and  is  enough  to  awaken  "  fear  and 
trembling"  in  us  all.  The  righteous  are  scarcely 
saved!  They  escape  from  the  fire  into  safety, 
but  as  by  a  hair's  breadth.  How  great  is  the 
difficulty  of  bringing  them  first  to  be  in  ear 
nest  about  salvation ;  how  great  the  difficulty 
of  keeping  them  from  turning  back  and  away 
amidst  the  temptations  to  sin,  and  the  allure 
ments  of  the  world,  by  which  they  are  sur 
rounded  ;  how  difficult  to  rescue  them  from  the 
power  of  the  great  adversary  of  souls.  Through 
the  internal  struggles  of  the  mind,  and  outward 
conflicts  of  life,  it  often  seems  a  matter  of  doubt 


144  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

whether,  with  all  their  efforts,  they  will  be 
saved ;  and  \vhen  they  are  saved  they  will 
appear  to  themselves  as  mariners  who  have  been 
rescued  from  shipwreck,  who  are  amazed  to 
see  how  near  they  seemed  to  destruction,  and 
how  unlikely  to  all  human  appearance  it  seemed 
at  one  time  they  should  be  saved  at  all.  Oh, 
is  this  true  ?  then  how  few  comparatively  are 
in  the  way  to  be  saved.  Where,  we  ask,  are 
those  who  are  comporting  themselves  in  a  way 
answerable  to  such  a  representation  :  eagerly, 
anxiously  as  for  their  lives,  striving  to  flee  from 
the  wrath  to  come,  and  conscious  that  if  they 
are  saved,  it  will  be  so  as  by  fire  ?  Amidst  the 
multitudes  who  in  this  day  are  making  a  pro 
fession  of  religion,  how  rarely  are  they  to  be 
seen  who  are  diligently  plying  at  the  taskwork 
of  Christianity ;  who  are  making  a  real  busi 
ness  of  their  growing  sanctification ;  who  are 
laboring  for  heaven  as  if  pursued  by  a  convic 
tion'  that  without  effort  they  will  never  reach 
it,  and  that  even  after  their  utmost  labors  they 
will  but  save  their  distance,  and  scarcely  reach 
the  goal  to  which  they  are  tending.  Is  it  not 
time  to  sound  the  alarm,  and  especially  in  the 


MEANS  OF  PROGRESS.  145 

case  of  those  who  are  just,  according  to  their 
own  declaration,  setting  out  in  the  pursuit  of 
eternal  life? 

If  any  on  reading  this  should  say,  as  did  the 
apostles,  "  Who  then  can  be  saved  ?"  I  adopt 
our  Lord's  reply,  "  With  man  it  is  impossible, 
but  with  God  all  things  are  possible."  To 
every  earnest  soul  Jesus  says,  "  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee." 

ADDRESS  TO  THE   READER. 

Now  turn  back  your  attention  upon  the  con 
tents  of  this  chapter,  with  even  more  solicitude, 
because  of  the  greater  importance  of  the  sub 
ject,  than  you  would  in  a  time  of  bodily  weak 
ness  upon  some  directions  which  had  been 
given  you  concerning  your  health.  First  of  all, 
however,  .ask  with  serious  and  earnest  concern 
the  questions, 

Am  I  really  so  anxious  to  grow  in  grace  as 
to  be  using  all  the  necessary  means  for  that 
purpose  ?  Am  I  serving  my  soul  as  I  do  my 
body,  that  is,  by  being  careful  about  my  spirit 
ual  health,  and  adopting  all  proper  measures, 
and  diligently  employing  them  to  promote  it? 

Chr.  Pro-.  1  0 


146  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

Have  I  solicitude  enough,  about  this  matter  to 
be  active  and  earnest  in  the  use  of  means  ? 

Do  I  really  want  to  grow  ? 

Do  I  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness  ? 

Do  I  take  pains  for  this  self-cultivation? 

Do  I  most  constantly  and  seriously  attend  all 
the  means  of  grace,  public  as  well  as  private, 
and  week-days  as  well  as  Sabbath-days  ? 

Do  I  constantly,  devoutly,  read  and  study 
the  holy  Scriptures,  not  allowing  other  books 
to  supplant  the  Bible  ?  And  do  I  search  them 
to  be  made  more  holy  ? 

Do  I  feel  my  need  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  in 
fluence,  and  am  I  constantly  wrestling  with 
God  to  bestow  it  upon  me  ? 

Do  I  court  the  society  of  the  more  establish 
ed  and  spiritual  members  of  the  family  of  God  ? 

Do  I  set  apart  special  times  for  self-exami 
nation,  humiliation,  and  prayer  ? 

Am  I  improved  and  made  more  holy  and 
spiritual  by  my  afflictions,  disappointments,  and 
vexations  ? 

Reader,  I  beseech  you,  bring  yourself  to  this 
touchstone.  You  cannot  progress  unless  you 
are  anxious  to  do  so,  and  use  the  means. 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  rHOG-RESS.  147 

CHAPTER  IV. 

MISTAKES  CONCERNING-  PROGRESS. 

SUPPOSE  a  man  were  on  a  journey  which  was 
of  considerable  importance  to  all  his  temporal 
interests,  on  which  it  was  every  way  desirable 
he  should  be  going  forward  with  all  convenient 
speed.  Imagine  also  that  through  some  igno 
rance  of  the  country,  or  through  his  want  of 
acquaintance  with  his  rate  of  speed,  he  should 
conclude  that  he  was  advancing  towards  his 
destined  point,  while  at  the  same  time,  though 
in  constant  activity,  he  was  making  no  progress, 
but  only  wandering  about  in  by-lanes  and  cross 
roads,  and  still  remaining  near  the  spot  from 
which  he  started.  In  such  a  case,  he  might 
lose  the  end  and  purpose  of  his  journey.  Now, 
there  is  something  not  unlike  this  in  the  course 
of  some  persons  in  regard  to  religion.  They 
are  in  motion,  but  not  in  progress.  The  mis 
takes  on  this  subject  are  very  numerous,  and 
require  great  pains  in  those  who  have  to  teach, 


148  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

to  point  them  out;  and  also  attention  on  the 
part  of  all  who  have  any  solicitude  about  their 
spiritual  welfare,  in  order  to  be  acquainted  with 
them.  The  temptations  of  the  father  of  lies, 
aided  by  the  deceitfulness  of  the  human  heart, 
originate  many  very  injurious  errors  concerning 
our  spiritual  condition,  and  lull  us  into  a  state 
of  complacency,  where  we  ought  to  be  deeply 
solicitous  and  somewhat  alarmed. 

1.  It  is  not  an  unfrequent  case  for  persons 
to  conclude  they  are  advancing,  because  they 
are  not,  in  their  own  view  of  their  case,  actu 
ally  receding.  They  do  not  see  any  outward 
and  visible  signs  of  backsliding.  They  have 
fallen  into  no  grievous  sin,  and  have  brought 
no  blot  upon  their  character,  nor  discredit  upon 
their  profession.  They  are  not  conscious  of  any 
known  departure  from  the  way  of  rectitude, 
and  have  not  fallen  from  their  steadfastness. 
Their  usual  round  of  duties  is  performed,  and 
they  have  not  subjected  themselves,  by  any  part 
of  their  conduct,  to  rebuke  or  censure.  All 
this  may  be  so,  and  yet  there  may  be  no  prog 
ress.  Is  it  enough  to  stand  still  on  our  path  ? 
"Would  it  satisfy  the  man  on  the  journey  just 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PROGRESS.  149 

alluded  to,  if  he  could  merely  say,  "  I  am  not 
going  back  ?"  "Would  this  prove  he  was  advanc 
ing  ?  It  may  be  said,  and  we  have  already  said 
it,  that  in  one  sense  not  to  advance  is  to  recede. 
But  were  it  not  so,  surely  to  stand  still  is  not 
to  go  forward.  Have  you  more  knowledge, 
more  holiness,  more  love,  more  spirituality,  than 
you  had  ?  Is  your  growth  at  all  perceptible, 
though  it  be  in  ever  so  small  a  degree  ?  Do  not 
compare  yourselves  with  some  who  are  rapidly 
going  back,  and  imagine  that  in  relation  to 
them  you  are  going  forward,  while  you  are 
standing  still.  Have  you  ever,  when  travelling 
in  a  steam-carriage,  while  your  own  railway 
train  was  stopping  at  the  station,  and  another 
was  passing  slowly  in  a  contrary  direction, 
imagined  that  it  was  you  that  were  in  prog 
ress  ?  So  is  it  in  this  case.  You  may  be  quite 
at  rest,  while  compared  with  others  going  back 
you  seem  to  be  in  motion  forwards. 

2.  Some  estimate  progress  by  the  time  thty 
have  been  in  motion.  Suppose  a  person  unac 
quainted  with  the  rate  of  speed  of  a  ship  at  sea, 
and  not  understanding  the  influence  of  contrary 
winds,  and  the  process  of  getting  slowly  on  by 


150  CHRISTIAN   PROGRESS. 

tacking,  were  to  calculate  thus,  ""We  have  been 
so  many  hours  or  days  at  sea,  and  we  must 
therefore  be  so  far  on  our  voyage."  Suppose 
the  man  on  the  journey  to  have  fallen  asleep, 
or  loitered  away  his  time,  and  then,  taking  out 
his  watch,  were  to  calculate  that  because  he 
left  home  so  many  hours  since,  he  must  be  get 
ting  on  very  well.  Is  there  nothing  like  this 
in  some  professing  Christians  ?  It  is  so  many 
months  or  years  since  they  took  up  their  stand 
ing  as  religious  persons.  They  have  been  all 
this  while  regular  attendants  on  public  worship, 
and  communicants  at  the  Lord's  supper.  They 
have  heard  already  innumerable  sermons,  and 
read  many  good  books.  They  have  outlived 
the  novelties  of  a  religious  life,  and  the  ways 
of  God  are  now  familiar  to  them.  How  can  it 
be  doubted,  they  say,  that  they  who  have  been 
so  long  on  the  road  are  advancing?  Ah,  this 
is  just  calculating  progress  by  time,  rather  than 
by  distance.  Be  it  known  to  you,  that  a  pro 
fessed  Christian  may  be  long,  very  long,  in 
standing ;  yes,  and  after  all,  it  is  but  standing 
without  going.  A  dead  stick,  however  long  it 
may  be  in  the  ground,  will  not  grow.  Finger- 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  TROaRESS.  151 

posts  stand  for  ages,  and  measure  distances  for 
travellers,  but  never  advance  an  inch.  Do  not 
conclude,  then,  that  "because  your  conversion  is 
supposed  to  have  taken  place  long  since,  that 
therefore  your  sanctification  must  be  far  ad 
vanced.  It  is  a  pitiable  sound,  and  argues  an 
imbecile  mind,  as  well  as  a  diminutive  body, 
to  hear  a  poor  dwarf  cripple  say,  "  I  must  be 
growing,  for  I  am  ten  years  old."  It  may  be, 
but  every  body  else  sees  that  the  poor  child's 
stature  never  increases  an  inch.  Let  the  Chris 
tian  not  think  of  the  years  he  has  lived,  but  the 
attainment  he  has  made.  The  length  of  his 
profession  ought  to  be  attended  by  an  advance 
in  all  that  constitutes  vital  godliness,  proportion 
ate  to  the  advantages  he  has  enjoyed  and  the 
time  he  has  had  them ;  but  alas,  alas,  how 
rarely  is  this  the  case.  In  the  orchard  or  vine 
yard,  young  trees  may  be  growing  when  they 
bear  no  fruit,  and  a  stranger  may  be  ready  to 
say  they  make  no  progress ;  but  the  skilful 
gardener  says,  "  Give  them  time,  and  they  will 
exhibit  produce."  And  when  they  do  bear  fruit, 
it  is  in  proportion  to  their  age.  In  the  garden 
of  the  Lord,  young  plants  ought  to  fructify  im- 


152  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

mediately,  and  the  fruits  of  righteousness  should 
be  also  in  proportion  to  their  age.  But  is  it  so  ? 
How  many  whose  eye  shall  read  these  pages 
will  Hush,  if  they  have  any  holy  shame,  to 
compare  the  date  of  their  planting  in  the  courts 
of  the  Lord,  and  the  produce  they  yield. 

3.  There  may  be  an  increase  of  theoretic 
knowledge,  and  of  ability  to  talk  with  fluency 
upon  the  subjects  of  religion,  and  to  defend  the 
truth  against  gainsay ers,  without  any  corre 
sponding  advance  in  spiritual  feeling  and 
holy  conduct.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  very 
interesting  matter  in  the  Bible,  apart  from  its 
spiritual  and  vital  power  as  God's  instrument  of 
sanctification.  Its  history,  its  poetry,  its  sub 
limity,  its  chronology,  its  eloquence,  its  proph 
ecies,  its  pathos,  all  may  become  subjects  of 
study,  and  even  of  delightful  study,  without 
faith  in  its  doctrines  or  obedience  to  its  pre 
cepts.  Thousands  and  thousands  of  volumes 
have  been  written  on  religion  by  men  whose 
hearts  were  never  under  its  power.  Some  of 
the  noblest  productions  of  sacred  science  have 
issued  from  the  pens  of  those  to  whom,  it  is  to 
be  feared,  it  was  all  mere  theory.  Like  bril 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PROGRESS.  153 

liant  lamps,  they  lighted  others  on  their  way 
to  heaven,  hut  never  moved  themselves ;  or  to 
raise  still  higher  the  metaphor,  they  were  like 
lighthouses,  which  directed  ships  on  their 
course,  hut  were  stationary  themselves.  In 
more  private  life,  and  less  important  attain 
ments,  how  many  have  made  themselves  ac 
quainted  with  the  theory  of  divine  truth,  as 
taught  in  hooks,  sermons,  articles,  creeds,  and 
catechisms,  so  as  to  Be  ahle  to  explain  the  or 
thodox  system  of  doctrine,  and  to  argue  for  it, 
whose  hearts  have  never  been  sanctified  by  the 
truth.  And  even  where  it  may  be  hoped  the 
great  change  has  been  wrought,  and  a  start 
made  for  salvation  and  eternal  life,  there  may 
be  a  growth  in  knowledge  without  a  proportion 
ate  growth  in  grace.  Many  young  persons  are 
now  happily  engaged  in  Sunday-school  teach 
ing,  the  distribution  of  religious  tracts,  and 
various  other  operations  of  religious  zeal,  which 
give  them  of  necessity  a  growing  acquaintance 
with  the  system  of  religious  truth.  They  can 
talk  with  more  fluency  and  correctness  on  di 
vine  things.  History,  doctrine,  and  precept, 
are  all  more  familiar  to  them,  and  at  the  same 


154  CHRISTIAN  PROORESS. 

time  their  thoughts  are  more  drawn  to  the  sub 
ject  of  religion  generally  as  the  matter  of  their 
teaching.  Hence,  there  may  seem  to  be  to 
themselves  a  perceptible  progress.  And  so  there 
is  in  theory.  But  if  at  the  same  time  there  is 
no  advance  in  holiness,  Christian  charity,  con 
scientiousness,  self-denial,  and  humility,  these 
signs  of  advance  may  be,  and  are,  all  deceptive. 
Their  knowledge  has  been  collected,  not  as  the 
materials  of  personal  sanctity,  but  of  activity. 
Such  acquisitions  may  be  only  the  "  knowledge 
which  puffeth  up,"  but  not  "  the  love  that  edi- 
fieth." 

There  are  persons  whose  acquaintance  with 
Scripture  is  surprising,  and  yet  who,  though 
they  could  quote  most  aptly  from  nearly  all 
parts  of  the  Bible,  give  too  convincing  proof 
that  their  knowledge  is  of  the  letter  only,  and 
not  of  the  spirit.  I  knew  a  person  who  was  so 
intimately  acquainted  with  the  Scriptures,  that 
if  you  gave  him  any  chapter  or  verse  in  most 
of  the  books  of  either  the  Old  Testament  or 
New,  he  would  immediately  repeat  the  words ; 
and  yet  he  was  altogether  an  unconverted  man. 
And  I  was  acquainted  with  another  who  was 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  ntOG-RESS.  155 

so  fond  of  the  study  of  prophecy  that  he  "became 
more  conversant  with  the  predictions  of  the 
books  of  Daniel  and  of  the  Apocalypse  than  any 
one  I  ever  knew,  who  was  at  the  same  time 
entirely  a  man  of  the  world.  Yet  there  are 
many  who  regard  this  increasing  acquaintance 
with  the  text  of  the  Bible  as  an  evidence  of 
growth  in  grace.  "While,  therefore,  we  would 
urge  every  young  convert  to  make  a  longer  and 
larger  acquaintance  with  the  word  of  God, 
assuring  them  that  there  can  be  no  growth  in 
grace  without  some  advance  in  knowledge,  and 
that  the  more  knowledge  of  it  they  have  the 
more  they  are  prepared  to  be  useful,  happy,  and 
holy,  provided  they  couple  with  it  other  things, 
yet  that  at  the  same  time  there  may  be  large 
increase  of  knowledge  without  any  growth  in 
grace.  Ask  yourselves  then  the  solemn  ques 
tion,  and  ask  it  solemnly  too,  whether  in  pro 
portion  as  you  store  your  minds  with  biblical 
texts  and  biblical  ideas,  you  all  the  while  are 
seeking  to  have  your  heart  filled  with  biblical 
feelings,  and  your  life  with  biblical  actions.  Is 
your  advancing  light  attended  with  increasing 
warmth?  As  you  grow  in  acquaintance  with 


156  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

the  character  of  God,  do  you  reverence  him 
more  ?  As  your  ideas  brighten  on  the  person 
of  Christ,  do  you  love  him  more  ?  As  you  "be 
come  more  acquainted  with  the  perfection  and 
spirituality  of  God's  law,  do  you  delight  in  it 
more  and  more  after  the  inward  man  ?  As  you 
see  more  clearly  the  evil  of  sin,  do  you  hate  it 
with  a  more  intense  hatred  ?  As  your  horizon 
widens,  do  you  become  more  profoundly  humble, 
more  tenderly  conscientious,  more  gentle,  more 
spiritual  ?  Unless  this  be  the  case  you  are  in 
a  fatal  mistake  by  supposing  you  are  making 
progress  in  the  divine  life,  merely  because  you 
are  advancing  in  biblical  science. 

4.  In  some  persons  there  is  a  growing  know 
ledge  of  their  corruptions,  and  perhaps  an 
increase  of  lamentation  over  them,  unattended 
by  any  disposition  or  effort  to  mortify  them  ; 
and  yet  this  growing  light  into  the  depravity  of 
their  nature,  and  this  real  vexation,  for  so  it 
may  be  called,  rather  than  godly  sorrow,  leads 
to  no  proportionate  mortification  of  sin.  There 
can  be  little  doubt  that  many  do  know  more 
and  more  of  the  plague  of  their  own  hearts, 
and  are  made  continually  more  sorrowful  by  it, 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PROGRESS.  157 

who  content  themselves  with  venting  their 
unavailing  regrets,  and  make  no  progress  in 
removing  the  evils  they  deplore,  and  yet  con 
clude  that  this  growing  self-knowledge  is  an 
evidence  of  growing  piety.  So  it  would  be  if 
it  were  followed  up  by  amendment.  "  Godly 
sorrow  worketh  repentance,"  that  is,  reforma 
tion.  And  that  sorrow  is  not  godly,  however 
pungent  it  may  be,  and  however  miserable  it 
may  make  the  man,  which  does  not  produce 
reformation.  Many  a  holy  Christian  is  made 
more  and  more  holy,  with  less  of  misery  on 
account  of  sin,  just  because  his  grief,  whether 
greater  or  less,  leads  to  amendment,  than  he 
who,  whatever  may  be  his  mortification  of 
feeling,  does  not  carry  it  on  to  a  mortification 
of  sin.  "What  should  we  say  of  a  housewife 
who  made  herself  continually  miserable  about 
the  disorder  and  uncle anliness  of  her  house,  but 
who  took  no  pains  to  rectify  the  confusion  and 
to  expurgate  the  filth?  It  is  to  be  greatly 
feared  that  very  many  professors  of  religion 
satisfy  themselves  with  being  made  unhappy 
by  the  knowledge  and  experience  of  their  sins. 
They  are  loud  in  their  lamentations,  ample  in 


158  CHRISTIAN   rROG-RESS. 

their  confessions,  and  seemingly  profound  in 
their  humiliations.  But  there  the  matter  ends. 
They  who  heard  their  self-abasing  acknow 
ledgments  yesterday,  see  them  no  better  to 
day.  They  are  like  some  valetudinarians, 
whose  diseases  arise,  in  great  measure,  from 
their  own  indulgence,  who  are  ever  complain 
ing  of  their  ailments,  and  ever  lamenting  as 
well  as  continuing  their  imprudence,  but  who 
will  never  exercise  that  self-denial  which  is  the 
only  way  to  restoration,  and  who  yet  imagine 
it  is  a  sign  of  growing  attention  to  their  health, 
because  there  is  an  increasing  disposition  to 
lament  their  sickness  and  to  confess  their  im 
prudence. 

5.  A  very  common  error  is  to  mistake  a 
growth  of  sectarianism  for  an  increase  of  grace 
Perhaps  there  is  no  delusion  more  common  than 
this.  Ecclesiastical  polity  and  sacramental  ob 
servances,  as  matters  of  divine  revelation,  are 
both  of  some  importance ;  yet  it  is  perfectly 
clear,  from  the  testimony  of  Scripture,  that  they 
are  of  less  consequence  in  the  divine  life,  than 
faith,  hope,  and  love.  "  The  kingdom  of  G-od 
is  not  meat  and  drink ;  but  righteousness,  and 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  moaRESS.  159 

peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  Rom. 
14 :  17.  "  In  Jesus  Christ  neither  circumcision 
availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision ;  "but 

FAITH    WHIQH    WORKETH    BY    LOVE."       Gal.    5  I  6. 

If  these  passages  mean  any  thing,  they  teach 
us  the  entire  subordination  of  what  is  ceremo 
nial  to  what  is  spiritual.  To  see  a  person  more 
interested  in,  and  more  zealous  for  some  ritual 
observance  than  the  cultivation  of  charity- 
attaching  more  importance,  both  as  matter 
of  experience  and  controversy,  to  baptism  and 
the  external  form  of  the  church,  than  to  the 
doctrines  of  justification,  regeneration,  and  sanc- 
tincation,  marks  a  state  of  mind  very  different 
from  that  which  is  inculcated  by  the  precepts, 
and  manifested  in  the  conduct  of  the  sacred 
writers.  The  great  object  of  the  apostles  was 
to  cherish  in  their  converts  the  spirit  of  faith 
and  the  practice  of  holiness.  Yet  we  very  often 
see  a  different  line  of  conduct,  both  in  the 
teachers  and  professors  of  religion  in  the  present 
day,  by  many  of  whom  an  extraordinary  zeal 
is  manifested  for  either  established  or  unestab- 
1  lished  churches,  as  the  case  might  be,  and  for 
a  more  elaborate  or  a  more  simple  ceremonial ; 


160  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

while  little  concern  is  felt  or  expressed  to  incul 
cate  "the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  which  are  love, 
joy,  peace,  long  suffering,  gentleness,  goodness, 
faith,  meekness,  temperance."  Gra.1.  o  :  22. 

We  not  unfrequently  see  young  professors, 
when  their  first  concern  about  religion  is  over, 
taking  up  with  the  ardor  of  eager  novices  these 
secondary  matters,  and  becoming  zealots  for 
supporting,  defending,  and  propagating  them. 
This  is  sometimes  especially  apparent  in  those 
who  have  lately  transferred  themselves  from 
one  section  of  the  universal  church  to  another. 
Proselytes,  as  if  to  prove  the  sincerity  of  their 
conviction,  and  recommend  themselves  to  their 
new  party,  usually,  in  supporting  their  novel 
opinions,  excel  in  zeal  those  by  whom  these 
notions  have  been  long  held.  A  change  of  this 
kind  has,  in  some  cases,  effected  a  complete 
transformation  of  character,  and  they  who  were 
before  all  torpor,,  are  now  all  activity  and  energy ; 
not,  indeed,  for  the  great  fundamental  truths 
on  which  all  Christians  agree,  but  for  those 
minor  matters  on  which  they  differ.  Church 
men,  that  as  such  were  dull  and  lethargic,  have,  * 
on  becoming  dissenters,  been  all  life  and  energy, 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PROGRESS.  161 

not  so  much  for  faith,  love,  and  holiness,  but 
for  non-conformity ;  while  on  the  other  hand  dis 
senters,  who  while  such  were  supine  and  inert, 
on  entering  the  establishment,  have  become  the 
zealous  advocates  and  propagators  of  perhaps 
even  high-church  principles.  Let  not  persons 
of  this  description  mistake  such  sectarianism 
for  advancement  in  the  divine  life.  This  holy 
vitality  has  reference  rather  to  the  principles  on 
which  all  are  agreed,  than  to  those  minor  mat 
ters  on  which  they  differ.  A  mighty  furor  about 
non- conformity,  or  a  most  impassioned  zeal  for 
religious  establishments,  may  comport  with  very 
little  vital  godliness ;  yea,  the  former  may  go 
far  to  enfeeble  the  latter.  Instead  therefore  of 
such  a  state  of  mind  indicating  progress,  it 
manifests  a  retrogression.  The  man  has  become 
more  of  a  dissenter  or  churchman,  but  perhaps 
less  of  a  spiritual,  humble,  and  simple-minded 
Christian.  It  is  the  human  element  in  their 
religion,  not  the  divine,  that  has  strengthened ; 
ihe  shell  that  has  thickened,  not  the  kernel  that 
has  enlarged.  There  has  been  motion,  but  it 
is  a  lateral  one  from  the  straight  line,  not  a 
progress  in  the  right  direction.  It  is  a  going 

Chr.  Prog  1  1 


162  CHRISTIAN    PROGRESS. 

down  and  going  back  from  primary  to  secondary 
matters.  An  excrescence  has  grown  upon  the 
tree,  but  the  tree  itself  has  been  hindered  and 
not  helped  in  its  advance. 

6.  Much  the  same  remark  will  apply  to 
a  growing  attachment  to  some  particular 
preacher,  which  is  not  always  of  itself  a  proof 
of  progress  in  religion.  We  are  allowed  our 
preference  even  in  this  matter ;  for  though  it 
is  the  message  rather  than  the  messenger,  the 
truth  rather  than  the  preacher,  that  is  to  be 
the  ground  of  our  attachment,  yet  it  cannot  in 
the  nature  of  things  be  otherwise  than  that  we 
should  prefer  one  minister  to  another.  He 
may  have  been  the  instrument  of  our  conver 
sion,  or  the  means  of  our  establishment ;  or 
independently  of  these  matters  he  may  more 
clearly  explain,  and  more  powerfully  enforce 
God's  truth ;  or  even  without  this  his  natural 
abilities  with  equal  orthodoxy  and  piety  may 
be  more  to  our  taste  ;  and  on  all  these  grounds 
preference,  within  certain  limits,  is  allowed. 
But  nothing  in  a  young  convert  requires 
greater  care  and  effort  to  keep  down  excess, 
than  ministerial  attachment,  lest  it  should 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PROGRESS.         103 

degenerate  into  exclusiveness  and  spiritual 
idolatry.  This  is  a  danger  into  which  multi 
tudes  run.  They  make  this  pulpit  favorite 
not  only  the  standard  of  all  excellence  but  its 
monopolist.  They  think  meanly  of  every  one 
else.  They  can  hear,  or  at  any  rate  relish  no 
other.  When  he  preaches  elsewhere  they 
follow  him;  or  if  they  cannot  do  this,  they 
make  up  their  mind  not  to  profit  by  his  sub 
stitute.  This  actually  grows  upon  them  till 
he  is  every  thing,  and  all  other  ministers  noth 
ing.  Now  this  very  attachment  is  by  some 
supposed  to  be  a  proof  of  progress  ;  especially 
in  the  case  of  those  who  formerly  cared  noth 
ing  about  this  minister  or  any  other.  They 
now  feel  pleasure  in  hearing  him,  but  then  it 
is  confined  to  him,  and  this  preference,  instead 
of  leading  them  to  love  him  for  the  sake  of  the 
truth  he  preaches,  leads  them  rather  to  love  the 
truth  for  the  sake  of  the  preacher.  If  with 
their  preference  for  him,  they  united  a  delight 
in  hearing  all  who  preach  the  same  truths; 
and  his  preaching  had  formed  in  them  a  taste 
for  evangelical  doctrines,  instead  of  for  one  man 
who  preached  them,  this  would  be  a  blessed 


134  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

result,  and  one  that  would  prove  advance  in 
religion.  Perhaps  there  are  few  evidences  more 
conclusive  of  progress  than  such  a  state  of  mind 
as  is  described  in  the  following  reflections  :  "  At 
my  first  setting  out  in  the  ways  of  religion,  I 
felt  a  preference  for  my  minister  so  strong,  that 
I  could  hear  with  pleasure  no  other.  I  was 
disappointed  and  discontented  if  I  saw  any  one 
else  in  the  pulpit,  and  thought  the  sermon 
scarcely  worth  listening  to.  I  now  see  it  was 
more  an  attachment  to  the  preacher  himself 
than  to  his  message.  True,  I  was  pleased  with 
his  doctrine,  hut  still  more  with  his  manner  of 
setting  it  forth.  As  my  knowledge  of  divine 
truth  increased,  and  I  "become  more  and  more 
in  love  with  this,  I  found  my  delight  more  and 
more  drawn  off  from  the  preacher  to  his  doc 
trine.  Till  now,  with  my  preference  for  him 
above  all  others  still  remaining,  I  am  so  much 
taken  up  with  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and 
feel  so  much  more  the  importance  of  the  matter 
than  the  manner,  that  I  can  hear  any  one  with 
pleasure  who,  with  tolerable  ability,  explains 
and  enforces  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed 
G-od.  It  is  the  man  who  opens  most  clearly  to 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PROGRESS.  IGo 

my  judgment  the  truth,  of  God's  word,  and 
enforces  it  most  powerfully  upon  my  heart  and 
conscience,  and  carries  on  my  growth  in  know 
ledge,  peace,  and  holiness — that  is  the  preacher 
I  love  most."  There  is  no  mistake  here. 

7.  Somewhat  analogous  to  this,  some  mis 
take  a  growing'  delight  in  some  particular 
theory,  or  some  particular  parts,  aspects,  and 
subjects  of  the  Bible,  for  progress  in  the  divine 
life.  "All  Scripture,"  to  quote  this  passage 
again,  "is  given  by  inspiration  of  Grod,  and  is 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction, 
for  instruction  in  righteousness,  that  the  man 
of  G-od  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished 
unto  all  good  works."  But  all  Scripture  is  not 
equally  adapted  to  foster  the  strength  and  pro- 
mote  the  health  of  the  soul.  Now  it  is  clear  to 
any  one  who  will  attentively  study  the  New 
Testament,  that  the  truth  by  which  we  are  to 
be  sanctified,  the  doctrine  which  is  according 
to  godliness,  the  "perfection"  which  is  distin 
guished  from  first  principles,  is  the  mediatorial 
character  and  work  of  Christ.  This  seems  to 
be  plain  from  our  Lord's  words,  "Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  eat  the  .flesh  of  the 


166  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life 
in  you.  "Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh 
my  Hood,  hath  eternal  life ;  and  I  will  raise 
him  up  at  the  last  day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat 
indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed."  John 
6  :  53-55.  This  is  a  most  momentous  passage, 
and  deserves  the  very  serious  attention  of  all, 
and  especially  of  young  converts.  It  is  of  vast 
consequence,  in  corporeal  dietetics,  to  know 
what  is  the  most  nourishing  food,  and  what 
will  sustain  the  strength  and  increase  the  stat 
ure  of  the  body.  Can  it  be  less  so  in  the  die 
tetics  of  the  soul  ?  Here  then,  by  Him  who 
came  to  give  life,  by  the  Physician  of  the  soul, 
WQ  are  told,  upon  what  food  the  growing  Chris 
tian  must  live.  In  these  words  our  Lord  did 
not,  could  not,  mean  to  be  understood  literally. 
By  his  flesh  and  blood,  he  meant  his  body 
offered  up  in  sacrifice,  and  his  blood  shed  as 
an  atonement  for  sin ;  and  by  eating  his  flesh 
and  drinking  his  blood,  he  intended  nourishing 
the  divine  life  by  the  knowledge,  the  faith,  the 
contemplation  of  his  death  as  it  is  set  forth  in 
the  Scriptures.  The  study  of  every  thing  that 
stands  connected  with  the  death  of  Christ, 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PR00EJSSS.  167 

whether  it  be  in  the  types  of  the  ceremonial 
law,  the  predictions  of  the  prophets,  the  nar 
ratives  of  the  gospels,  the  doctrines  of  the 
epistles,  or  the  sublime  visions  of  the  Apoca 
lypse,  this  is  the  food  of  the  soul,  the  manna 
from  heaven,  the  bread  of  life.  This  is  "meat 
indeed,"  and  "  drink  indeed"  Whosoever  with 
hungry  appetite  feeds  upon  this,  will  grow  ;  and 
whosoever  neglects  this,  will  become  lean  and 
weak.  Now,  there  is  a  proneness  in  some  to 
neglect  this,  and  endeavor  to  support  their 
spiritual  strength  by  something  else.  It  is  not 
the  study  of  the  natural  history,  or  chronology, 
or  historical  facts,  or  beautiful  poetry,  or  pathet 
ic  narratives,  or  sublime  compositions  of  the 
Bible,  that  will  best  sustain  our  strength,  and 
yet  some  are  thus  attempting  it.  •  They  see 
many  beauties  in  the  Bible  to  which  they  were 
formerly  blind.  They  are  enamoured  with  the 
sublimities,  for  instance,  of  the  book  of  Job  or 
Isaiah.  They  admire  the  wondrous  wisdom  of 
the  book  of  Proverbs.  They  luxuriate  amidst 
the,  pathos  of  the  history  of  Joseph,  or  the 
morality  of  the  sermon  upon  the  mount. 
Their  attachment  to  those  parts  of  revelation 


163  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

is  rather  growing  than  declining,  and  in  proper 
measure  all  this  is  highly  commendable.  Such 
books  as  Kitto's  " Daily  Readings"  should  be 
read,  and  cannot  be  read  without  admiration, 
and  exquisite  delight,  and  valuable  informa 
tion.  And  many  do  read  them  with  these 
feelings,  and  hence  they  imagine  they  are  pro 
gressing  in  religion,  although  they  have  little 
relish,  perhaps,  for  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel, 
the  mediation  of  Christ,  the  salvation  into 
which  the  prophets  inquired  diligently,  and 
the  angels  desired  to  look.  They  do  not  feed 
on  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  great  sacrifice. 

8.  There  may  be  a  mistake  made,  by  the 
mortification  of  some  ONE  sin,  while  others  are 
left  unsubdued.  It  is  so  far  an  advance  if  one 
enemy  of  our  soul,  from  right  motives  and  by 
right  means,  be  destroyed.  And  in  the  work 
of  spiritual  improvement  it  is  wise  and  well, 
instead  of  losing  our  time  and  wasting  our  ener 
gies  in  mere  general  and  unsystematic  mortifi 
cation,  to  select  occasionally  some  on c  sin  to 
begin  with  in  the  way  of  more  direct  and  con 
centrated  attack ;  and  no  doubt  the  crucifixion 
of  that  corruption,  the  cutting  off  of  that  right 


MISTAKES  AS  10  PROGRESS.  169 

hand,  or  the  plucking  oat  of  that  right  eye,  is  a 
gain  in  sanctification,  a  step  in  advance,  and  a 
means  of  gaining  other  victories.  But  what  I  am 
anxious  to  guard  you  against  is,  the  supposi 
tion  that  because  some  one  evil  to  which  you 
may  be  more  strongly  tempted  is  abandoned,  or 
some  practice  which  may  militate  against  your 
health,  or  interest,  or  comfort,  is  given  up,  you 
are  going  on.  Sin  may  be  discontinued  for  va 
rious  reasons.  A  drunkard  may  give  up  his 
inebriety,  not  because  it  is  sinful,  but  hurtful. 
Another  may  discontinue  some  fraudulent  prac 
tice,  not  because  it  is  forbidden  by  God,  but  is 
disgraceful  in  the  estimation  of  man.  A  young 
professor  may  give  up  some  ensnaring  worldly 
amusements,  not  because  he  is  afraid  of  their 
influence  upon  his  spiritual  welfare,  but  because 
they  make  too  great  inroads  upon  his  purse,  it 
is  not  therefore  the  abstract  ^abandonment  of  a 
sin,  but  the  motive  which  leads  to  it,  which  is 
a  proof  of  the  work  of  grace.  "How  shall  I  do 
this  great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  G-od  T" 
This  must  lie  as  the  motive  at  the  base  of  all 
mortification  of  sin.  And  then  moreover,  the 
destruction  of  any  one  sin  must  be  viewed  and 


170  CHRISTIAN  PB.OG-RESS. 

carried  on  as  a  part  of  the  purpose  and  the  act 
for  the  destruction  of  all  sin. 

I  now  proceed  to  enumerate  and  to  correct 
some  mistakes  of  a  contrary  nature  to  those  just 
considered.  I  mean  such  as  are  committed  by 
those  who  are  making  progress,  and  yet  are 
somewhat  anxious  and  distressed  under  suppo 
sition  that  they  are  not;  and  even  fearing  that 
they  are  declining. 

The  cases  are  perhaps  not  numerous  of  persons 
deeply  concerned  about  salvation,  really  earnest 
in  religion,  and  yet  harassed  with  the  apprehen 
sion  that  they  are  at  a  stand  still,  or  even  going 
back.  There  is  a  sincere  desire  to  advance  in  ho 
liness,  and  to  increase  in  spirituality  ;  and  they 
are  even  diligent  in  the  use  of  means  to  accom 
plish  that  end.  In  reference  to  them,  I  do  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  their  very  state  of  mind  is 
itself  an  evidence  of  progression.  This  solicitude 
is  itself  advancement.  The  very  desire  of  im 
provement,  the  will  to  go  on,  the  longing  after 
greater  attainment,  is  improvement.  It  is  itself 
an  impulse — a  forgetting  the  things  that  are  be 
hind,  and  a  reaching  forward  unto  those  things 
that  are  before.  There  cannot  be  a  more  convinc- 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PROGRESS.  171 

ing  proof  of  halting  or  retrograding,  than  com 
placency  in  ourselves.  While,  on  the  other  hand , 
a  growing  disposition  to  find  fault  with  our 
selves,  and  humble  ourselves,  and  really  improve 
ourselves,  is  one  of  the  brightest  indications  of 
our  going  forward,  provided  there  is  all  diligence 
in  the  use  of  the  means  of  self-improvement. 

Some  are  fearful  that  they  are  not  making 
progress  because  their  feelings  are  not  so  viv 
idly  excited  in  religious  matters  as  they  for 
merly  lucre.  They  are  not  as  easily  and  pow 
erfully  wrought  upon  either  in  the  way  of  joy 
and  sorrow,  hope  and  fear,  as  they  once  wrere. 
They  have  not  those  lively  and  ecstatic  states 
of  mind  which  they  formerly  experienced  when 
they  began  the  divine  life. 

Here  we  must  just  glance  at  the  constitution 
of  our  nature.  Religion  exerts  its  influence 
over  all  the  faculties  of  the  soul ;  it  calls  into 
exercise  the  understanding,  engages  the  deter 
mination  of  the  will,  moves  the  affections,  and 
quickens  the  conscience.  The  same  differences 
of  natural  constitution  will  be  observable  in 
some  degree  in  the  new  or  spiritual  nature  as 
existed  in  the  old  or  physical  one.  A  person  of 


172  CHRISTIAN 

great  sensibility  in  ordinary  things  will,  after 
conversion,  be  so  in  spiritual  ones ;  while  they 
of  little  emotion  in  the  former,  will  exhibit  the 
same  phase  of  mind  in  the  latter.  The  sensi 
bility  or  emotional  state  of  the  mind  depends 
very  much,  therefore,  on  our  physical  organiza 
tion.  Now  it  is  a  very  wrong  criterion  of  the 
reality  and  degree  of  our  religion  to  judge  of  it 
only  by  the  exercise  of  the  affections.  Some 
persons  of  excitable  natures  are  easily  moved 
to  joy  and  sorrow,  hope  and  fear.  The  power 
of  poetry  or  eloquence,  of  sights  of  distress  or 
rapture,  over  their  feelings  is  irresistible,  while 
at  the  same  time  their  judgments  are  not  propor 
tionately  employed,  their  wills  not  in  the  same 
measure  engaged,  and  their  conscience  but  little 
moved.  Take,  for  instance,  the  sentimental 
readers  of  novels,  how  by  fits  they  are  melted 
to  tears  or  excited  to  ecstasies.  Yet  how  idle 
and  unemployed  are  all  the  other  faculties  of 
the  soul.  There  is  no  virtue  in  all  this.  It  is 
mere  sympathetic  emotion.  Now  look  at  the 
philanthropist.  He  may  not  be  a  man  of  tears, 
or  of  strong1  and  vivid  emotions  of  any  kind, 
but  he  is  a  man  of  principle.  His  understand- 


MISTAKES    AS  TO  PROGRESS.  173 

ing  comprehends  the  circumstances  of  somo 
case  of  deep  distress,  and  he  judges  it  is  right 
to  pity  and  relieve  it.  His  heart,  though  not 
wrought  up  to  extreme  anguish,  so  as  to  fill  his 
eyes  with  tears  and  his  mouth  with  loud  lam 
entation,  feels  for  the  miserable  object ;  his  will 
resolutely  determines  at  once  to  help  the  suf 
ferer  ;  and  his  conscience,  which  would  con 
demn  him  if  he  did  not,  approves  the  deter 
mination.  You  will  particularly  notice  what 
constituted  the  virtue  of  the  good  man :  not 
wholly  the  emotional  excitement,  for  there  was 
very  little,  but  the  dictates  of  the  judgment, 
the  determination  of  the  will,  and  the  action 
which  was  performed  under  these  conjoint  pow 
ers.  So  it  is  in  religion,  which  consists  partly 
of  the  exercise  of  all  the  faculties,  but  chiefly 
of  the  judgment,  will,  and  conscience.  The 
heart  is  of  course  engaged,  for  we  must  love 
God  and  hate  sin ;  we  must  delight  in  Christ 
and  fear  the  wrath  to  come  ;  but  the  amount  of 
vivid  emotion  is  of  little  consequence,  compared 
with  an  enlightened  judgment,  showing  us 
clearly  what  is  right  and  wrong ;  a  determined 
will  to  avoid  the  evil  and  perform  the  good  ; 


174  ciiRisiiAX  PUOG-EESS. 

and  a  tender  conscience  shrinking  from  the 
least  sin.  Emotion  is,  to  a  certain  extent, 
instinctive,  involuntary,  and  irrepressible.  Not 
so  with  judgment,  will,  and  conscience.  It  is 
not,  therefore,  the  amount  of  feeling,  but  of 
willing  and  doing,  and  approving  or  condemn 
ing,  that  determines  the  state  of  religion.  There 
is  such  a  thing,  I  know — and  alas,  it  is  a  very 
common  one — as  losing  "  first  love,"  and  it  is 
marked  by  our  Lord  with  his  disapprobation  in 
his  address  to  the  church  at  Ephesus  ;  but  many 
distress  themselves  on  this  account  who  have 
no  need  to  do  so.  Their  ardor  perhaps,  at  first, 
was  in  some  measure  the  excitement  of  animal 
feeling,  which  will  soon  die  away  of  course, 
though  their  real  practical  love  may  not  be 
diminished,  but  may  be  growing  stronger. 
"When  a  son  returns  home  after  a  long  ab 
sence,  especially  if  he  be  a  reclaimed  prodigal, 
and  meets  his  parents,  brothers,  and  sisters, 
there  is  a  glow  of  feeling,  a  joyousness  of  emo 
tion,  which  cannot  be  expected  to  continue 
always,  and  which  he  may  never  be  able  to  re 
call  again,  though  he  may  be  ever  growing  in 
real  attachment  to  his  friends  and  his  home. 


MISTAKES  A3  TO  PROGRESS.  175 

From  all  these  it  will  be  seen  that  the  emo 
tional  part  of  religion  may  be,  and  is,  by  many, 
overestimated.  The  question  is  not  merely 
what  we  can  feet,  but  what  we  can  do,  for 
Christ ;  not  how  many  tears  we  can  shed,  but 
how  many  sins  we  can  mortify  ;  not  what  rap 
tures  we  can  experience,  but  what  self-denial 
we  can  practise ;  not  what  happy  frames  we 
can  enjoy,  but  what  holy  duties  we  can  per 
form  ;  not  simply  how  much  we  can  luxuriate 
at  sermon  or  at  sacrament,  but  how  much  we 
can  exhibit  of  the  mind  of  Jesus  in  our  inter 
course  with  our  fellow-men ;  not  only  how  far 
above  earth  we  can  rise  to  the  bliss  of  heaven, 
but  how  much  of  the  love  and  purity  of  heaven 
we  can  bring  down  to  earth  ;  in  short,  not  how 
much  of  rapt  feeling  we  can  indulge,  but  how 
much  of  religious  principle  we  can  bring  to 
bear  on  our  whole  conduct. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  there  may  be  prog 
ress  where  there  is  a  fear  that  there  has  been 
declension.  The  vividness  of  feeling  may  havo 
subsided,  but  if  the  firmness  of  principle  has 
been  strengthened,  it  is  only  like  the  decadence 
of  the  blossom  when  the  fruit  has  set.  The 


170  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

joy  might  not  "be  so  great,  but  it  may  "be  more 
intelligent,  more  solid,  and  more  sober.  Just 
as  the  exuberant  delight  of  the  child,  when  it 
passes  off,  leaves  the  pleasure  of  the  youth  less 
noisy,  but  more  rational.  The  frames  and 
feelings  may  be  less  rapturous,  but  they  may 
at  the  same  time  be  less  idolized,  less  depended 
upon,  less  put  in  the  place  of  Christ.  The 
young  Christian  is  less  pleased  with  self,  but 
sees  more  of  the  glory  of  the  Saviour ;  his  own 
righteousness  appears  more  imperfect  and  de 
filed,  and  is  therefore  less  loved,  but  the  right 
eousness  of  the  Saviour  comes  out  before  him 
more  beautiful,  glorious,  and  necessary. 

Distress  is  sometimes  felt  in  consequence  of 
mistaking  a  clearer  view  and  deeper  sense  of 
depravity  for  an  actual  increase  of  it.  This 
is  by  no  means  an  uncommon  case.  The  young 
Christian  seems  sometimes  to  himself  to  be 
growing  worse,  when  in  fact  it  is  only  that  he 
sees  more  clearly  what  in  fact  he  really  is.  In 
the  early  stages  of  religion  we  have  usually 
but  a  slender  acquaintance  with  the  evil  of 
sin  or  the  depravity  of  the  heart.  The  mind 
is  so  much  taken  up  with  pardon  and  eternal 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PROGRESS.  177 

life,  and  even,  indeed,  with  transition  from 
death  to  life,  that  it  is  but  imperfectly  ac 
quainted  with  those  depths  of  deceit  and  wick 
edness  which  lie  hid  in  itself.  And  the  young 
convert  is  almost  surprised  to  hear  older  and 
more  experienced  Christians  talk  of  the  corrup 
tions  of  their  nature.  It  is  almost  one  of  the 
first  things  one  should  suppose  they  would  feel, 
yet  it  is  one  of  the  last  they  effectually  learn, 
that  religion  is  a  constant  conflict  in  man's 
heart  upon  earth,  between  sin  and  holiness. 
At  first  they  seem  to  feel  as  if  the  serpent  were 
killed,  but  they  soon  find  that  he  was  only 
scotched,  for  by  the  warmth  of  some  fiery 
temptation,  he  is  revived  and  hisses  at  them 
again,  so  as  to  require  renewed  blows  for  his 
destruction.  Nothing  astonishes  an  inexperi 
enced  believer  more  than  the  discoveries  he  is 
continually  making  of  the  evils  of  his  heart. 
Corruptions  which  he  never  dreamt  to  be  in 
him,  are  brought  out  by  some  new  circum 
stances  into  which  he  is  brought.  It  is  like 
turning  up  the  soil,  which  brings  out  worms 
and  insects  that  did  not  appear  upon  the  sur 
face.  Or  to  vary  the  illustration,  his  increasing 

Chr.Frojf.  12 


178  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

knowledge  of  God's  holy  nature,  of  the  per 
fect  law,  and  the  example  of  Christ,  is  like 
opening  the  shutters,  and  letting  light  into  a 
dark  room,  the  filth  of  which  the  inhabitant 
did  not  see  till  the  sunbeams  disclosed  it  to 
him. 

Sometimes  the  young  convert  is  discour 
aged  because  he  does  not  increase  as  fast  as  lie 
expected ;  and  supposes,  because  he  does  not 
accomplish  all,  and  as  speedily  as  he  looked 
for,  that  he  does  not  advance  at  all.  The  ex 
pectations  of  young  Christians  are  sometimes 
as  irrational  as  the  child's  who  sowed  his  seed 
in  the  morning,  and  went  out  in  the  evening 
to  see  if  it  was  above  ground.  The  recent 
convert  sometimes  imagines  that  sanctification 
is  easy  to  work,  and  advance,  for  a  regenerated 
soul,  a  thing  to  be  accomplished  by  a  succes 
sion  of  strides,  if  not  indeed  by  one  bound 
after  another.  But  the  remains  of  old  Adam 
within  him  soon  prove  too  str  ,ng  to  allow  this 
unimpeded  course  of  Christian  progression.  He 
knew  he  had  difficulties  to  surmount,  but  he 
calculated  on  getting  over  them  with  ease — 
that  he  had  enemies  to  conflict  with,  but  then 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PROGRESS.  179 

he  hoped  to  go  on  by  rapid  victories  from  con 
quering  to  conquer.  He  is  disappointed  ;  and 
now  imagines  he  makes  no  way  at  all.  But 
why  should  he  so  hastily  decide  against  him 
self  ?  All  growth  is  slow,  and  that  is  slowest 
of  all  which  is  to  last  the  longest.  The  mush 
room  springs  up  in  a  night :  so  did  Jonah's 
gourd ;  and  in  a  night  it  perished.  The  oak 
requires  centuries  for  its  coming  to  perfection. 
Some  mistake  by  supposing  they  do  not  ad 
vance  at  all  because  they  do  not  get  on  so  fast 
as  some  others.  We  would  by  no  means  en 
courage  neglect,  indifference,  or  contentment 
with  small  measures  of  grace.  On  the  contrary, 
we  urge  the  greatest  diligence.  We  say,  go  on 
unto  perfection.  They  who  are  contented  with 
what  grace  they  suppose  they  have,  give  fear 
ful  evidence  that  they  have  none  at  all.  To 
be  self-satisfied  is  to  be  self-deceived.  Still, 
as  in  nature  so  in  grace,  all  do  not  grow  with 
equal  rapidity,  or  advance  to  equal  strength 
and  stature.  It  is  so  with  flowers  in  a  garden, 
trees  in  a  plantation,  children  in  a  family, 
boys  at  school,  ships  at  sea,  or  travellers  upon 
the  land.  There  is  progress  in  all,  but  in  dif- 


180  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

ferent  degrees.  Yet  of  which  of  all  these  can 
it  be  said,  they  make  no  advance,  because  they 
de  not  advance  as  fast  as  the  foremost.  The 
use  we  should  make  of  the  superior  attain 
ments  of  the  more  eminent  of  (rod's  servants 
is,  neither  to  envy  them,  nor  to  discourage  our 
hearts,  but  to  find  in  them  a  stimulus  and  an 
encouragement  to  seek  larger  measures  of  faith 
and  holiness  for  ourselves. 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  READER.       . 

Reader,  this  is  an  unspeakably  important 
chapter  for  you  to  ponder.  You  must  not  pass 
from  it  in  haste,  but  linger,  and  muse  longer 
and  deeper.  You  must  now  take  up  the 
candle  of  the  Lord,  as  I  have  said,  and  go  clown 
into  the  very  depths  of  the  soul,  to  search  its 
hidden  recesses.  Nor  should  you  trust  to  your 
own  inspection  and  scrutiny.  Like  David,  you 
should  earnestly  pray  to  God  to  search  you, 
and  reveal  your  real  state  to  you.  Psalm 
139:23,  24.  He  knew  how  prone  we  are  to 
self-love  and  self-deception  ;  how  sin  lies  hidden 
in  the  folds  of  the  heart's  deceit,  and  therefore 
he  begged  the  trial  and  scrutiny  of  eyes  more 


'MISTAKES  A3  TO  PROGRESS.  181 

piercing  and  less  partial  than  his  own.  So 
must  you.  "We  are  all  liable  to  judge  too  favor 
ably  of  our  own  case.  Do,  do  consider  the 
fatal,  the  dreadful,  the  eternal  consequences  of 
a  mistake  on  this  subject.  Oh,  the  idea  of 
imagining  we  are  going  en  to  heaven,  when 
step  by  step  we  are  advancing  to  hell.  Is  this 
possible  ?  It  is ;  and  the  very  possibility  should 
awakon  our  alarm.  Is  it  probable  ?  It  is ; 
and  this  should  increase  our  alarm.  Is  it  cer 
tain  ?  It  is  ;  and  this  should  raise  still  higher 
our  anxiety.  Is  it  common  ?  It  is  ;  and  this 
-should  carry  our  solicitude  to  the  highest  pitch. 
"What  said  Christ  ?  Read  with  awe  and  trem 
bling,  Matt.  7  :  21-23.  Read,  I  say,  this  pas 
sage  in  which  our  Lord  with  his  own  hand 
rings  the  tocsin  and  sounds  alarm  through  the 
whole  church.  Ought  you  not  to  examine  ?  Is 
not  there  need  of  it  ?  Is  it  not  all  but  madness 
to  go  on  without  it  ?  Mistake  !  What,  in  such 
a  matter  as  salvation  ?  Mistake  !  What,  in  a 
matter  in  which  an  error  will  require,  as  I 
have  often  said,  an  eternity  to  understand,  and 
an  eternity  to  deplore  it  ? 

Are  you  quite  sure  this  is  not  your  case  ? 


182  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

Take  up  the  subject,  then,  and  put  the  follow 
ing  questions  to  your  soul. 

Am  I  right,  and  have  I  good  evidence  that  I 
am — truly  converted  to  God — a  real  Christian  ? 

If  I  am  a  true  Christian,  am  I  really  an 
advancing  one,  or  am  I  mistaking  a  declining 
state  for  an  advancing  one  ? 

Am  I  mistaking  a  lengthened  term  of  pro 
fession  for  a  genuine  improvement  ? 

Am  I  putting  an  increase  of  knowledge,  and 
of  ability  to  talk  about  religion,  in  place  of  an 
increase  of  holiness  ? 

Does  it  satisfy  me  to  grow  in  knowledge- 
and  lamentation  of  my  corruptions  without 
mortifying  them  ? 

Am  I  confounding  sectarianism  with  true 
piety ;  attachment  to  some  preacher  with  love 
to  the  truth  ;  and  zoal  for  some  favorite  theory 
with  real  regard  for  the  gospel  ? 

Is  my  mortification  of  sin  confined  to  some 
one  corruption,  which  interest,  ease,  or  reputa 
tion  may  require  me  to  surrender ;  or  is  it 
directed  against  all  sin? 

Is  my  religion  a  mere  excitement  of  the 
emotions,  and  my  growth  only  a  greater  exci- 


MISTAKES  AS  TO  PHOailESS.  183 

tability ;  or  is  my  will  more  and  more  deter 
mined  for  God,  my  conscience  more  tender, 
and  my  life  more  holy  ? 

Inquire,  I  beseech  you,  into  these  things. 
Be  determined,  by  Grod's  grace,  to  know  the 
real  state  of  the  case,  and  to  be  under  no  mis 
take.  Be  this  your  prayer,  "0  Grod  of  truth, 
thou  that  searchest  the  hearts  and  triest  the 
reins  of  the  children  of  men,  thou  knowest  I 
would  not  for  ten  thousand  worlds  be  deceived 
about  my  spiritual  state.  Do  thou,  who  know 
est  me  altogether,  make  known  to  me  what  I 
really  am  in  thy  sight.  Painful  as  it  would  be 
to  find  out  that  I  have  been  deceiving  myself, 
this  were  infinitely  better  than  for  me  to  go  on 
in  error  till  the  mistake  is  past  being  rectified. 
[  want  to  know  my  real  state.  Even  if  I  am 
a  Christian,  and  yet  mistaking  declension  for 
progress,  I  wish  to  know  this  also.  Let  my 
spiritual  insight  be  clear,  my  self-acquaintance 
ba  accurate.  Suffer  me  on  no  account  to  de 
ceive  myself,  even  as  regards  my  progress  or 
decline." 


184  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

CHAPTER   V. 

HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS. 

IT  is  indeed  a  melancholy  thing  for  the 
growth  of  grace  to  be  stopped ;  and  to  see  the 
spiritual  child  remaining  a  dwarf.  But  it  need 
not  be  so,  unless  the  child  chooses  it. 

1.  There  is  indifference  to  growth.  This 
has  been  in  some  measure  anticipated  where 
we  have  said  that  earnest  concern  and  desiro 
are  among  the  means  of  progress.  If  so,  then 
indifference  must  be  an  impediment  to  growth. 
It  is  not  so  in  nature.  A  child  in  health  will 
grow,  and  does  grow  without  a  thought  or  a 
care  about  the  matter*  He  may  never  have 
one  idea  about  it ;  may  be  as  indifferent  as  a 
lamb  or  a  young  dove,  a  tree  or  a  flower ; 
yet  his  indifference  will  not  affect  his  growth. 
But  it  is  not  so  with  a  young  Christian.  In 
difference  here  is  fatal  to  all  progress.  Look  at 
this.  Indifferent !  What,  about  progress  to 
heaven  and  a  fitness  for  it  ?  Indifferent !  What, 
about  increasing  knowledge  of  eternal  truth  ? 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.  185' 

Indifferent !  What,  to  increase  in  holiness, 
which  is  the  image  of  God  in  the  soul  of  man  ? 
Indifferent !  What,  about  the  development  of 
that  character  which  is  formed  by  a  divine 
hand,  of  heavenly  materials,  and  for  eternal 
ages  ?  Young  professor,  can  you  endure  the 
thought ;  does  it  not  astound  you,  alarm  you, 
distress  you,  to  think  of  being  hindered  by  in 
difference  ?  Oh,  cast  it  away  at  once,  and  kindle 
into  solicitude  and  concern.  Be  indifferent  to 
anything,  or  everything  else,  rather  than  to  this. 
2.  Of  course  we  must  not  leave  out  of  con 
sideration,  but  place  distinctly  before  you  the 
remaining'  corruption  of  human  nature,  and 
its  imperfect  sanctification ;  and  this  must  be 
viewed  in  connection  with  the  temptations  of 
Satan.  This  view  of  the  case  has  come  out 
incidentally,  and  may  yet  come  out  in  other 
parts  of  the  volume,  but  on  account  of  its  im 
portance  it  must  have  a  separate  place  assigned 
to  it  here.  It  is  well  for  the  young  convert  to 
have  a  very  clear  and  vivid  perception  of  his 
condition,  of  what  he  really  is,  what  he  has  to 
contend  with,  and  what  exertion  therefore  is 
necessary  to  overcome  the  resistance  he  meets 


386  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

with  in  his  course.  What  then  is  the  real 
condition,  and  what  are  the  true  circumstances 
of  the  person  whose  case  I  am  now  meeting  ? 
He  is  supposed  to  he  truly  regenerated,  "but  at 
the  same  time  only  partially  sanctified.  Sin  is- 
dethroned,  tut  not  destroyed.  His  predomi 
nant  taste  and  disposition  are  holy,  but  his 
principles  have  not  yet  struck  their  roots  very 
deep  into  his  soul.  His  purposes  are  somewhat 
irresolute,  and  his  inclinations  to  evil  sometimes 
strong,  just  because,  to  use  a  scripture  expres 
sion,  "the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and 
these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other."  Satan 
knows  all  this,  and  by  methods  which  we  can 
not  understand,  plies  the  soul  with  his  various 
machinations  and  subtle  temptations.  We  need 
not,  for  it  is  useless,  attempt  to  explain  the 
mystery  of  Satanic  influence.  It  is  nowhere 
laid  open  to  us.  One  thing,  however,  beyond 
the  fact  that  he  does  so  tempt  us,  is  certain, 
that  he  always  assails  us  through  the  medium 
of  our  own  thoughts,  imaginations,  and  feel 
ings.  Somehow  or  other  he  has  the  power  of 
exciting  these.  So  that  our  resistance  of  evil 
in  ourselves  is  properly  the  resistance  of  the 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROG-RESS.  167 

devil  without  us.  No  perplexity,  therefore, 
need  trouble  us  about  meeting  the  temptations 
of  Satan,  for  to  vanquish  our  own  evil  hearts  is 
to  vanquish  him.  It  is  well  to  know,  to  con 
sider,  to  ponder  the  fact  that  there  is  still  the 
danger  of  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  aided  by 
the  power  of  Satan,  hindering  us  on  our  way, 
and  attempting  to  turn  us  out  of  it.  "We  are 
not  only  like  Bunyan's  pilgrim,  when  we  first 
become  anxious,  setting  out  with  a  burden  of 
guilt  upon  our  back ;  but  when,  like  him,  we 
have  lost  that  at  the  cross,  we  have  still  an 
other  burden  of  imperfections  and  corruptions 
to  carry,  which  without  great  labor  and  effort 
will  sadly  retard  us.  It  must  be  understood 
well,  that  though  all  external  circumstances  of 
situation  and  helps  and  advantages  were  as 
favorable  as  they  could  be,  we  still  have  a  sad 
drawback  within.  We  are  like  a  traveller  who 
is  on  a  smooth  road,  has  fine  weather,  is  inti 
mately  acquainted  with  the  way,  has  agreeable 
and  helpful  companions,  but  who  at  the  same 
time  is  very  lame,  or  has  a  load  to  carry.  His 
lameness  or  his  load  will  be  a  great  delay  to 
him.  His  attention  must  be  directed  to  these 


188  CHRISTIAN  rE-OG-RESS. 

things.     He  must  cure  the  one  or  lighten  the 
other,  or  he  will  make  slow  progress. 

3.  Besetting  sins  are  powerful  hinderances. 
"Lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which 
doth  easily  beset  you,"  said  the  apostlo.  In 
the  case  of  most  persons,  there  is  some  one  sin 
to  which,  either  from  their  situation,  constitu 
tion,  taste,  or  other  circumstances,  they  are 
more  powerfully  tempted  than  to  others.  Satan 
knows  very  well  what  in  every  case  this  is,  and 
skilfully  adapts  his  temptations  to  it.  He  is 
an  expert  angler,  and  never  takes  his  bait,  or 
throws  his  line,  at  random.  Independently, 
however,  of  him,  the  very  tendency  of  the 
heart  is  in  that  direction.  That  one  sin,  what 
ever  it  be,  while  indulged,  will  hold  you  back  ; 
you  cannot  get  on  till  it  is  mortified.  Even 
its  partial  indulgence,  though  it  may  be  con 
siderably  weakened,  will  hinder  you.  Study 
then  your  situation,  circumstances,  and  con 
stitution.  You  cannot  be  so  ignorant  of  your 
past  history,  your  present  situation,  your  con 
stitutional  tendencies,  your  experience,  your 
failures,  your  resolutions,  as  not  to  know  what 
it  is  which,  in  the  way  of  temptation  and  sin, 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.  169 

you  are  most  exposed  to.  You  must,  you  do 
know  in  what  you  have  most  frequently 
wounded  your  conscience,  and  occasioned  to 
yourself  shame  and  sorrow.  Is  it  an  unsanc- 
tified  temper  ?  An  impure  imagination  ?  A 
proud  heart  ?  A  vain  mind  ?  A  taste  for 
worldly  company  ?  A  proneness  to  envy  and 
jealousy  ?  A  love  of  money  ?  A  tendency 
to  exaggeration  in  speech  ?  A  fondness  for 
pleasure  ?  A  disposition  to  censoriousness,  de 
traction,  and  backbiting?  Study  yourselves. 
Examine  your  own  heart.  You  must  find  out 
this  matter,  and  it  requires  no  great  pains  in 
order  to  know  it.  It  floats  upon  the  surface  of 
the  heart,  and  does  not  lie  hidden  in  its  depths. 
There,  there  is  your  danger.  As  long  as  that 
sin,  he  it  what  it  may,  is  indulged,  you  can 
not  advance.  Other  sins  are  as  unnecessary 
garments  to  the  ancient  racer;  this,  like  a 
chain  round  his  ancle,  or  a  clog  to  his  feet. 

4.  The  mistakes  mentioned  in  the  last 
chapter  are  a  very  considerable  hinderance  to 
progress.  These  should  be  well  studied  and 
minutely  examined.  On  an  ordinary  journey 
errors  of  this  kind  will  have  great  influence  in 


190  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

keeping  back  the  traveller.  He  who  supposes 
he  is  advancing  when  the  contrary  is  the  case, 
cannot  of  course  get  on.  We  therefore  recom 
mend  a  very  close  study  of  that  chapter  with 
especial  reference  to  the  subject  of  this. 

5.  There  are  some  situations  in  life  very 
unfriendly  to  growth  in  grace.  Plants,  if  they 
flourish,  require  adaptation  of  soil,  atmosphere, 
and  treatment.  So  do  animals.  So  do  young 
children.  So  do  young  Christians.  In  all  these 
cases,  however,  except  where  the  situation  is 
so  uncongenial  as  to  be  certain  death,  and  cer 
tain  destruction  to  the  subject  of  care,  much 
may  be  accomplished  by  extraordinary  atten 
tion  and  culture.  Corn,  by  great  skill,  labor, 
and  expense,  may  be  made  to  grow  in  unfavor 
able  soils.  Animals  accustomed  to  a  warm 
climate  may  by  very  great  care  be  kept  alive, 
and  even  in  tolerable  health,  in  colder  regions. 
Children  do  grow  in  the  absence  of  many 
things  conducive  to  health.  So  it  is  with  the 
plants  of  grace,  the  lambs  of  Christ's  flock,  the 
children  of  G-od.  Religion  has  to  exist  some 
times  in  situations  most  inauspicious  to  its 
growth,  yea,  to  its  very  existence.  A  servant 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.  191 

girl,  for  instance,  may  "be  awakened  to  a  seri 
ous  concern  about  the  salvation  of  her  soul, 
while  engaged  in  a  large  family,  incessantly 
occupied,  and  associated  with  other  servants 
who  are  not  only  destitute  of  all  religion  them- 
selves,  hut  who  ridicule  and  oppose  hdrs  ;  while 
the  heads  of  the  family  are  also  utterly  irrelig 
ious  ;  so  that  in  all  that  house  there  is  nothing 
to  cherish,  hut  every  thing  to  wither  the  blos 
som  of  piety  in  this  poor  girl's  soul.  Or  a  young 
man  may  be  led  in  earnest  to  remember  his 
Creator  in  the  days  of  his  youth,  and  at  the 
time  when  this  new  solicitude  is  awakened  in 
his  soul,  he  is  engaged  as  shopman  in  some  large 
establishment,  where  he  is  surrounded  by  a 
number  of  scoffing,  dissolute,  and  infidel  asso 
ciates,  and  .the  master  is  as  ungodly  as  his 
servants.  Or  a  young  lady  may  start  in  the 
divine  life,  in  the  midst  of  a  gay,  worldly, 
fashionable  family.  Or  a  wife  may  become 
seriously  concerned  about  divine  and  eternal 
realities,  whose  husband  is  entirely  a  man  of 
the  world,  and  requires  her  to  be  of  one  taste 
with  him  in  all  his  amusements  and  pursuits. 
Now,  can  we  conceive  of  any  thing  more  un- 


192  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

friendly  to  earnest,  consistent,  advancing  re 
ligion,  than  these  and  many  other  situations 
which  may  be  easily  imagined ;  and  yet  growth 
is  required  even  here.  "  Growth  !"  exclaim 
some,  "  why,  life  is  scarcely  possible  here.  You 
may  as  soon  expect  pineapples  to  grow  on  the 
summit  of  Mont  Blanc,  or  roses  and  myrtles  to 
flourish  amidst  the  polar  ices,  as  think  of  re 
ligion  thriving  in  such  situations  as  these."  This 
is  to  miscalculate  its  own  vital  strength,  and  also 
the  mighty  power  of  God.  I  have  known,  and 
many  more  have  known  it  to  flourish  in  all 
these  circumstances.  I  remember  the  case  of 
a  lady  who,  within  the  first  month  of  her  mar 
riage  with  an  ungodly  husband,  was  brought 
under  concern  about  religion,  to  which,  till  that 
time,  she  had  been  a  total  stranger.  And  while 
engaged  in  all  the  round  of  those  festive  parties 
and  amusements  which  are  customary  in  fash 
ionable  circles  on  such  occasions,  had  to  strug 
gle  with  this  new  anxiety  recently  awakened 
in  her  heart,  and  subsequently  with  the  oppo 
sition  of  her  husband  and  of  her  nearest  rela 
tives.  Yet,  by  the  grace  of  God,  her  piety  not 
only  lived,  but  flourished. 


HINDEHANCES  TO  PP.OC-RESS.  193 

Still,  it  shall  be  conceded  that  the  situations 
supposed  are,  for  experience  and  observation 
prove  it,  uncongenial  with  the  growth  of  grace. 
It  is  difficult  to  keep  a  standing-  there,  much 
more  to  advance.     But  it  is  possible  ;  and  the 
very  possibility  is  encouraging.     Consider  how 
much  is  at  stake — the  soul,  salvation,  heaven, 
eternity.     Consider  how   much   greater  your 
condemnation  will   be,   if  having  once  been 
awakened,   you  relapse    again  into  a  deadly 
slumber.     Be  duly  aware,  then,  of  the  diffi 
culty  of  your  situation,  and  even  alarmed  at  it. 
Say  to  yourselves,  "  How  can  I  stand  firm  ?" 
If  you  can  alter  your  situation,  it  may  be  well 
to  do  so  ;  I  advise  it.     You  should  not  be  self- 
confident,  and  say,  "I  can  trust  myself.     My 
mountain  stands  strong,  I  shall  never  be  mov 
ed.     I  fear  nothing."     Then  I  fear  for  you. 
Such  a  spirit  is  the  precursor  of  a  fall.     "  Be 
not  high-minded,  but  fear."     "  Let.  him  that 
thinketh  he  standeth  take  heed. lest  he  fall." 
Flee,  I  say,  flee  if  you  can ;  that  is,  if  your 
present  situation  be  not  one  of  obvious  duty, 
which  leaves  you  no  choice.    Some  of  the  cases 
I  have  mentioned  answer  to  this  description, 

Clir.  Pies.  \  3 


194  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

and  do  leave  you  no  option.  The  daughter  can 
not  in  many  instances  quit  her  father's  house ; 
nor  can  the  wife,  the  home  of  her  husband. 
Where  this  occurs,  let  there  "be  the  most  earnest 
prayer  to  God  for  divine  grace,  and  full  un 
wavering  faith  in  the  divine  promise.  Let  such 
persons  lay  their  case  hefore  the  Lord,  and 
remind  him  of  their  peculiar  need  of  his  most 
gracious  assistance.  Let  them  open  the  ear  of 
faith,  and  hearken  to  his  voice.  "  Fear  thou 
not,  for  I  am  with  thee ;  "be  not  dismayed,  for 
I  am  thy  Grod  :  I  will  strengthen  thee  ;  yea,  I 
will  help  thee  ;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the 
right  hand  of  my  righteousness."  Isa.  41 : 10. 
6.  Among  the  hinder ances  to  progress  in 
religion  must  he  mentioned  companionship. 
"He  that  walketh  with  wise  men  shall  be  wise," 
says  Solomon,  "  but  a  companion  of  fools  shall 
be  destroyed."  Prov.  13  :  20.  "We  take  the 
tinge  of  our  character  from  those  with  whom  we 
associate,  and  in  return  give  back  in  brighter 
hue  the  color  of  our  own  to  them.  We  arc  all 
the  communicants  and  recipients  of  unconscious 
influence ;  just  as  healthy  or  diseased  subjects 
are  supposed  to  keep  the  atmosphere  around 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROG-RESS.  195 

them  salubrious  or  infectious.  As,  therefore, 
we  would  preserve  our  spiritual  health  and  pro 
mote  our  increase  of  strength,  let  us  avoid  the 
society  of  those  whose  company  and  conversa 
tion  are  unfriendly  to  piety.  The  strength  of 
our  convictions,  the  fixedness  of  our  habits,  the 
clearness  and  settledness  of  our  principles,  and 
the  firmness  of  our  resolutions,  must  in  a  great 
measure  depend  upon  our  associates.  David 
said,  "  I  am  a  companion  of  all  those  that  fear 
Thee  and  keeep  thy  precepts."  As  to  the  choice 
of  good  and  suitable  companions  as  a  means  of 
progress,  I  have  already  written  in  a  former 
chapter ;  but  I  now  speak  of  the  avoidance  of  un 
suitable  ones,  of  such  as  would  be  a  hinderance 
to  it.  And  I  would,  with  all  the  emphasis  it  is 
possible  to  give  to  written  language,  conjure  the 
young  professor  to  be  most  anxiously  and  trem 
blingly  concerned  about  this  matter.  It  may 
happen  that  now,  when  first  brought  under  con 
cern  about  salvation,  you  may  have  companions 
congenial  with  your  former  tastes  ;  and  some  to 
whom  you  were  much  attached,  but  who  are 
still  as  regardless  of  religion  as  you  once  were. 
This  is  indeed  a  painful  and  perplexing  situa- 


196  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

tion,  and  will  expose  you  to  considerable  dan- 
ger.  You  will  find  it  difficult  either  to  dissolve 
the  ties  of  friendship,  or  to  maintain  them 
without  peril  to  your  infantine  religion.  To 
withdraw  from  those  in  whose  society  you  have 
spent  so  many  cheerful  hours,  will  "be  like  cut 
ting  off  a  right  hand,  or  plucking  out  a  right 
eye.  "Well,  and  are  not  these  the  terms  of 
Christian  discipleship  ?  Why,  in  the  times  of 
persecution,  the  saints  were  often  called  to  sur 
render  husbands  or  wives,  parents  or  children, 
for  Christ's  sake  ;  and  can  you  not  give  up  a 
friend  ?  Will  you  risk  your  religion  and  jeop 
ard  your  soul  at  the  shrine  of  friendship  ?  Do 
you  know  that  your  religious  character  must 
be  distasteful  to  your  former  friends,  and  that 
their  pursuits  and  conversation  are  now  dis 
tasteful  and  actually  injurious  to  you  ?  Do  you 
not  come  from  their  society  with  religious  ardor 
damped,  the  spiritual  taste  lowered,  the  devo 
tional  spirit  impaired,  and  the  conscience  of 
fended  and  wounded  by  your  sinking  too  deeply 
into  the  current  of  their  conversation  ?  Is  it 
not  felt  by  you  that  there  is  one  subject,  and 
that  the  most  momentous  of  all,  in  reference  to 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.  197 

which  you  can  have  no  sympathies  and  no  con 
versation  in  common?  You  must  withdraw. 
It  is  come  to  this,  that  you  must  sacrifice  your 
friends  or  your  souls ;  which  shall  it  he  ? 

We  do  not  say  that  this  should  he  ahruptly, 
much  less,  rudely  or  sanctimoniously  done. 
There  must  he  nothing  at  all  approaching  to  the 
"  Stand  "by,  I  am  holier  than  thou."  It  might 
he  well,  first  of  all,  by  letter  or  personal  inter 
course,  to  endeavor  to  influence  your  friends  to 
adopt  similar  views  to  your  own  ;  to  use  all  the 
gentle  and  unassuming  arts  of  affectionate  per 
suasion  to  induce  them  to  go  with  you  in  the 
ways  of  wisdom  and  the  paths  of  peace.  If 
you  prevail  not,  then,  after  a  full  and  fair  trial 
to  engage  them  in  the  bonds  of  a  sacred  fellow 
ship,  with  tenderness,  and  frankly  stating  your 
reasons,  withdraw  from  them.  It  may  he  a 
costly  sacrifice,  "but  it  is  a  necessary  one. 

How  much  more  forcibly  does  this  apply  to 
that  one  friend^  who,  above  all  others,  is  dear 
est  to  the  heart,  and  likely,  on  that  account  to 
be  more  influential  over  the  character.  "Where 
this  tender  engagement  has  been  formed  before 
the  religious  feeling  was  excited  in  either  of  the 


198  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

parties,  it  should  be  only  a  very  hostile  attitude 
against  religion  in  one  of  them  that  should  in 
duce  the  other  to  dissolve  the  bond.  In  such 
a  case  there  is  sometimes  little  trouble,  for 
enmity  against  God  goes  far  to  extinguish  love 
towards  man,  and  the  pious  party  is  released 
by  the  other  from  vows  always  solemn,  and 
never  to  be  broken  without  justifiable  reasons. 
But  where  no  engagement  of  this  nature  has 
been  formed,  and  the  young  professor  is  free  to 
choose  or  to  receive,  surely,  surely  a  due  regard 
to  the  happiness  of  both  parties,  the  safety  of 
the  soul,  the  pursuit  of  salvation,  the  commands 
of  Scripture,  and  the  glory  of  God,  should  lead 
to  a  determination  never  to  form  a  connection 
unfriendly  to  the  interests  of  personal  religion. 
It  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  any  thing  more 
likely  to  exert  a  deleterious  and  destructive 
influence  over  incipient  piety,  than  a  cherished 
regard  for,  and  an  avowed  engagement  to  a 
person  who  is  a  stranger  to  vital  godliness. 
Even  they  who  have  long  been  in  the  bands  of 
matrimony,  and  who,  after  they  have  entered 
them,  are  brought  under  the  power  of  godli 
ness,  find  it  difficult  to  maintain  it,  in  its  vigor 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.  199 

and  consistency,  against  the  hostile  or  even 
neutral  influence  of  a  husband  or  a  wife  that 
has  no  sympathy  with  them  in  this  most  mo 
mentous  of  all  concerns.  How  much  more 
unlikely  is  it  that  they  who  are  in  all  the  solici 
tudes,  the  emotions,  and  the  agitations  of  court 
ship,  and  that  in  connection  with  an  individual 
who  has  no  religious  sensibilities,  can  hold  on 
their  way  and  wax  stronger  and  stronger.  It  is 
by  no  means  favorable  to  the  cultivation  of  true 
godliness,  in  its  earliest  stages,  to  have  the 
mind  occupied  by  a  subject  so  engrossing  and 
so  interesting  to  the  hearts  of  the  persons  con 
cerned  as  courtship,  even  where  it  is  between 
persons  both  of  whom  are  partakers  of  true 
religion.  How  much  more,  then,  where  this 
does  not  enter  into  the  character  and  pursuits 
of  one  of  the  parties  concerned. 

7.  The  inconsistencies,  short-comings,  or  sta 
tionary  condition  of  those  who  already  make, 
and  perhaps  have  long  made  a  profession  of 
religion,  are  a  great  impediment  to  the  advance 
of  those  who  are  just  beginning  the  Christian 
life.  There  is  a  proneness  on  all  hands,  in 
judging  of  religion,  to  look  at  the  conduct  of 


200  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

those  who  profess  it,  rather  than  to  its  own  in 
spired  records.  Infidels  do  this,  and  also  those 
who  wish  to  be  freed  from  its  obligation,  and 
who  for  that  end  bring  against  it  the  incon 
sistencies  of  its  professors.  Something  like 
this  operates  also  on  the  minds  of  those  who 
are  beginning  the  Christian  course.  Instead  of 
studying  their  obligations  in  the  word  of  God, 
and  taking  all  their  ideas  from  thence,  and 
finding  there  the  proper  models  of  character, 
they  look  around  upon  those  Christians  with 
whom  they  are  acquainted,  with  a  kind  of  tacit 
idea  that  if  they  themselves  are  as  holy  and 
earnest  and  spiritual  as  these,  it  is  all  that  can 
be  expected  from  them.  Yea,  they  imagine 
that  they  who  are  so  young  in  piety  can  hardly 
be  expected  to  be  as  holy,  spiritual,  and  ear 
nest  as  they  who  have  been  long  in  the  way 
And  what  do  they  see  in  these  older  Christians, 
in  whom  at  one  time  perhaps  they  looked  for 
an  almost  perfect  exhibition  of  spiritual  excel 
lence,  as  the  natural  result  of  long  experience 
and  rich  advantages  ?  Ah,  what  indeed  ?  Of 
tentimes  low  attainments,  prevailing  worldly- 
mindedness,  unsanctified  tempers,  and  general 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.  201 

unlovelinesS  of  character.  Instead  of  resem* 
bling  trees  in  the  meridian  of  their  age,  lofty 
in  stature,  spreading  out  their  tranches,  rich  in 
foliage,  and  laden  with  fruit,  they  see  stunted, 
almost  branchless,  leafless,  and  fruitless  stocks, 
calling  for  the  gardener's  interdict,  "  Cut  them 
down ;  why  cumber  they  the  ground  ?"  Others 
perhaps  are  not  in  so  bad  a  condition  as  this, 
but  still  far  from  what  our  Lord  describes  as 
bearing  "much  fruit,"  and  so  glorifying  G-od. 
Here  and  there  they  discover  some  one  in  an 
eminent  degree  growing  like  a  cedar  in  Leb 
anon,  or  flourishing  like  the  palm-tree.  But 
these  are  the  exceptions,  rather  than  the  rule. 
The  young  inquirer  therefore,  instead  of  looking 
at  the  exceptions,  too  often  turns  to  the  general 
rule,  and  secretly  thinks  that  he  can  hardly 
expect  to  be  among  the  rarer  instances  of  god 
liness,  and  contents  himself  with  possessing  the 
average  amount  of  it.  There  may  be  no  actual, 
formal,  deliberate  making  up  his  mind  in  this 
way,  after  general  observation ;  but  an  uncon 
scious  and  unintentional  influence  of  this  kind 
comes  over  his  mind.  It  was  only  the  day  before 
this  was  written,  that  a  friend  informed  me  of  a 


202.  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

case  he  knew  of  a  young  female  servant  who  was 
brought  under  the  power  of  religion,  and  wish 
ing  to  he  in  a  situation  favorable  to  the  growth 
of  her  piety,  she  went  into  a  family  professing 
godliness,  where  she  hoped  to  find  every  thing 
to  foster  her  early  impressions.  Perhaps,  as  is 
commonly  the  case,  she  expected  too  much — 
all  but  perfection ;  but  she  saw  so  little  like 
true  religion  in  either  master  or  mistress,  so 
much  worldliness,  and  such  an  absence  of  every 
thing  to  encourage  her  in  her  recent  impres 
sions,  that  she  found  herself  in  almost  as  much 
danger  there  as  in  the  place  she  left.  It  had 
nearly  proved  too  much  for  her  wreak  faith,  and 
she  had  well-nigh  returned  again  to  her  for 
mer  state  of  careless  unconcern.  However,  by 
Grod's  grace,  she  was  preserved  from  falling, 
and  afterwards  recovered  her  standing  and 
progress,  though  certainly  not  by  any  help  she 
gained  from  tin's  worldly-minded  couple  whom 
she  served. 

Against  the  pernicious  influence  of  example, 
we  must  earnestly  caution  the  young  disciples. 
They  must  not  allow  themselves  to  be  rendered 
slow  in  their  pace,  because  others  before  them 


• 

HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.  203       •- 


are  so  ;  nor  to  "be  checked  in  Mieif  speed,  either.* 
by  a  false  modesty  which  would  lead  them  to 
conclude  it  would  be  presumption  to  pass  their 
seniors,  nor  by  an  indolence  which  would  but 
too  easily  lead  them  to  be  satisfied  with  keep 
ing  a  little  behind  them.  No  doubt  it  has 
sometimes  happened  that  Satan  has  puffed  up 
the  mind  of  some  young  ardent  minds,  when 
in  all  the  fervor  of  their  first  love,  with  vanity 
and  conceit,  so  that  they  have  become  some 
what  proud  of  their  own  ardor,  and  still  more 
censorious  upon  the  lukewarmness  of  others. 
There  cannot  be  either  a  more  unlovely  or  a 
more  injurious  disposition  than  for  a  person 
lately  brought  under  the  power  of  religion  set 
ting  up  for  a  public  censor,  and  dealing  out 
writh  unsparing  hand  his  reflections  and  re 
proaches  upon  the  character  and  conduct  of 
his  neighbors.  It  is  sufficiently  offensive  in 
ordinary  life  to  hear  one  who  is  little  beyond  a 
beardless  youth  becoming  "  Sir  Oracle,"  and 
presuming  to  scan  and  censure  men  old  enough 
to  be  his  fathers;  but  it  is  still  more  disgust 
ing  to  see  this  in  reference  to  religion  :  and  we 
>  ould  most  seriously  warn  all  young  disciple 


204  CHRISTIAN   PROGRESS. 

against  such  a  temper,  and  admonish  them  to 
cultivate,  .among  other  virtues,  the  charity  that 
"doth  not  hehave  itself  unseemly/'* 

8.  There  is  another  hinderance  to  progress, 
which,  in  some  periods  of  history,  and  some 

*  There  is  a  very  affecting  and  impressive  illustration  of  the 
influence  of  professors,  in  the  way  of  giving  advice  to  a  young 
convert,  in  the  history  of  Roger  Miller,  that  extraordinary 
city  missionary,  who  was  killed  by  a  railway  accident  at  Wol- 
verton  in  the  year  1847;  a  most  interesting  memorial  of 
whom  has  been  published  by  Mr.  Orme.  Soon  after  he  became 
awakened  to  a  sense  of  religion  and  had  entered  into  church- 
fellowship,  he  opened  a  shop  as  a  barber,  and  like  the  rest  of 
the  trade,  served  his  customers  on  the  Sabbath.  At  length 
he  considered  that  this  was  a  violation  of  the  sanctity  of  the 
Lord's  day,  and  he  determined  to  close  the  shop  and  trust 
Providence  for  his  support.  His  faith  in  God,  however,  at 
that  time  was  weak,  and  as  his  business  fell  off,  he  was,  as 
might  have  been  expected,  reduced  to  considerable  straits  in 
his  circumstances.  He  sustained  the  trial  for  some  months, 
when  a  fellow-professor  and  member  of  the  same  religious 
community  persuaded  him  to  be  less  scrupulous.  Unhappily 
he  listened  to  this  advice.  And  now  mark  the  consequence. 
"In  a  short  time  after/'  he  says,  impressively  and  instruc 
tively,  "  all  my  real  enjoyment  in  religion,  and  all  my  desire 
to  attend  the  means  of  grace,  was  gone."  "  To  what  appall 
ing  circumstances,"  says  his  biographer,  "does  one  false  step 
give  rise.  In  his  case  many  dark  years  of  open  apostasy  and 
extreme  irreligion  and  vice  ensued,  and  innumerable  troubles, 
both  temporal  and  spiritual,  all  ensued  from  this  single  act." 
A-.d  all  must  be  traced  up  to  that  fatal  advice  of  a  professing 
Christian.  Oh,  professors,  take  hsed  what  counsel  you  give, 
as  well  as  what  examples  you  setr  to  young  converts. 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.  <?05 

external  states  of  the 'church  of  Christ,  lias 
"been  found  fatally  successful  in  the  case  of 
thousands — I  mean  persecution. 

Persecution  has  not  ceased,  and  never  will 
as  long  as  society  is  composed  of  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked.  The  apostle's  words  will  be 
found  to  "be  quite  true:  "All  that  will  live 
godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution." 
2  Tim.  3  : 12.  The  essence  of  persecution  lies 
in  subjecting  a  person  to  injury,  pain  of  body 
or  mind,  or  some  inconvenience,  on  account  of 
his  religious  opinions  or  conduct,  whether  this 
be  done  by  public  unjust  laws,  or  by  private 
ill-treatment.  If  a  person  be  made  the  butt  of 
ridicule  or  scorn  by  his  companions  or  others 
for  his  religion,  he  is  persecuted,  and  is  called 
tj  endure  cruel  mockings  and  reproaches.  Per 
haps  there  is  nothing  more  hard  to  bear  than 
this — no  test  of  steadfastness  more  severe.  A 
young  man  who  becomes  pious,  if  in  a  large 
establishment,  is  sure  to  be  the  object  of  all 
kinds  of  unhallowed  mirth  and  sport,  and  if 
amidst  all  he  remains  firm,  inflexible,  and  con 
stant,  he  is  as  truly  a  confessor  as  he  who  goes 
to  prison.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  conceive 


206  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

of  a  harder  trial  of  constancy  than  this.  Many 
have  given  way.  They  could  not  stand  it ; 
and  have  escaped  the  pitiless  storm  of  ridicule 
by  taking  shelter  in  apostasy.  And  where 
they  have  not  altogether  abandoned  their  relig 
ion,  have  "put  the  candle  under  a  bushel,"  ana 
concealed  their  opinions  and  feelings,  so  that  to 
others  they  appeared  to  have  given  them  up. 
This  is  as  truly  denying  Christ  as  open  apos 
tasy  ;  and  is  the  very  case  to  which  he  alludes 
when  he  says,  ""Whosoever  shall  be  ashamed 
of  me  and  of  my  words  in  this  adulterous  and 
sinful  generation,  of  him  shall  the  Son  of  man 
be  ashamed  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father  with  his  holy  angels."  Mark  8  :  38. 
Christ  will  have  no  secret  disciples.  Pie  that 
has  faith  must  confess  it  before  men.  Rom. 
10 :  9-11.  In  many  cases  it  may  be  well,  where 
the  opposition  is  too  hard  to  be  borne,  to  quit 
the  situation,  though  it  is  a  noble  instance  of 
moral  heroism  to  endure  it  bravely,  "strong  jn 
the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  his  might." 

But  there  are  other  cases,  in  some  respects 
more  trying  than  even  this :  I  mean  where  a 
young  person,  especially  a  female,  becomes 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.  207 

decided  in  spiritual  religion  in  the  midst  of  an 
ungodly  family ;  where  not  one  is  found  to 
countenance  her,  and  all  oppose  her.  She  can 
not  do  many  things  she  once  did  without 
scruple  or  hesitation.  Some  of  their  amuse 
ments  offend  her  conscience,  and  she  declines 
them.  She  is  now  considered  by  her  strict 
ness  as  condemning  all  the  rest,  and  is  re 
proached  as  an  accuser  and  reprover  of  the 
family,  not  excepting  her  parents.  She  is 
charged  with  being  a  divider  of  the  household, 
and  as  having  introduced  discord  and  strife. 
It  is  a  most  trying  situation  for  the  object  of 
persecution  to  endure  the  anger  and  meet  the 
frowns  of  father  and  mother,  brothers  and 
sisters — to  be  considered  and  reproached  as  the 
disturber  of  the  peace  of  a  once  happy  and 
united  family :  what  firmness  of  principle,  what 
inflexibility  of  purpose,  what  martyr-like  con 
stancy,  what  a  power  of  divine  grace  does  this 
require. 

And  even  where  the  opposition  is  not  so  fierce 
as  in  either  of  these  cases,  it  may  be  so  consid 
erable  as  to  be  a  great  trial  of  constancy  and  a 
powerful  hinclerance  to  progress.  There  may 


208  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

be  the  threatened  withdrawment  of  patronage, 
favor,  friendship,  or  custom ;  and  the  mild  ex 
postulation  and  the  gentle  entreaty,  which  are 
a  persecution  of  love.  How  difficult  to  put 
aside  all  this  and  go  on.  Instead  of  this,  many 
are  themselves  turned  aside  and  go  back.  Their 
courage  fails,  their  love  of  ease  gains  the  as 
cendency,  and  they  surrender  their  convictions 
their  hopes,  their  prospects — in  short,  their 
religion. 

Let  those  who  are  thus  tempted  consider  the 
consequences  of  giving  up  their  profession.  Let 
them  read  with  solemn  awe  the  passages  of 
Scripture  already  quoted.  Foj  their  encour 
agement,  let  them  take  up  their  Bibles  and  read 
our  Lord's  wrords  in  his  sermon  on  the  mount, 
Mat.  5  : 10-18.  Let  them  also  peruse  the  beau 
tiful  language  of  the  apostle,  1  Pet.  2  : 19-24  ; 
4 :  12-19  ;  2  Tim.  2 : 11-13  ;  Heb.  12  : 1-13. 
Let  them  wrestle  with  God  for  his  grace  to 
assist  them,  and  cast  themselves  upon  his  prom 
ised  aid,  expecting  that  he  will  uphold  them. 
It  should  be  accounted  by  them  an  honor  and 
a  glory  to  suffer  for  Christ.  They  should  bear 
all  with  patience,  meekness,  and  forgiveness. 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROG-RESS.  209 

A.  quiet  and  gentle  sufferer  will  in  most  cases 
subdue  even  the  hard-hearted  oppressor.  There 
is  a  wondrous  power  in  consistent  and  unvary 
ing  meekness.  Let  not  opposition  then  hinder 
you.  Let  your  courage  rise  with  your  circum 
stances,  your  self-denial  keep  pace  with  both, 
and  your  humility  and  sense  of  dependence 
upon  Grod  deepen  with  the  pressure  of  opposi 
tion  upon  your  strength. 

9.  A  taste  for  worldly  amusements  will 
inevitably  prove,  wherever  it  is  indulged,  a 
powerful  obstacle  to  growth  in  grace.  Man  is 
unquestionably  made  for  enjoyment.  He  has 
a  capacity  for  bliss,  an  instinctive  appetite  for 
gratification,  and  for  this  (rod  has  made  ample 
provision  of  a  healthful  and  lawful  kind.  "  A 
taste  for  pleasure"  means  something  different 
from  this  ;  or  at  any  rate,  it  means  this  directed 
to  wrong  sources,  or  carried  to  an  excess.  Now 
there  are  some  amusements  which  in  their  very 
nature  are  so  utterly  incompatible  with  true 
religion,  that  a  liking  for  them  and  a  hanker 
ing  after  them,  and  especially  an  indulgence  in 
them,  cannot  comport  with  real,  earnest,  and 
serious  piety.  The  convivial  parties  of  the  glut- 

Chr.  Prog.  I  4 


210  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

ton  and  the  drunkard,  the  passion  for  tho 
gambling-table,  the  pleasures  of  the  race 
course,  and  the  performances  of  the  theatre, 
are  all  of  this  kind.  A  taste  for  them  is  utterly 
uncongenial  with  a  spirit  of  godliness.  So  is  a 
love  for  the  gay  and  fashionable  entertainments 
of  the  hall-room,  and  the  routs  and  parties  of 
genteel  life.  These  are  all  unfriendly  to  re 
ligion,  and  are  usually  renounced  by  persons 
intent  upon  the  momentous  concerns  of  eternity. 
A  love  for  them  dies  out  from  the  soul  agitated 
and  made  anxious  by  the  great  question,  "  "What 
shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  "We  would  not  doom 
to  perdition  all  who  are  at  any  time  found  in 
this  round  of  worldly  pleasure ;  but  we  un 
hesitatingly  say,  that  a  taste  for  them  is  entire 
ly  opposed  to  the  whole  genius  of  Christianity. 
They  are  all  included  in  that  "world"  which 
is  overcome  by  faith  and  the  new  birth.  Re 
ligion  is,  though  a  happy,  a  very  serious  thing, 
and  can  no  more  live  and  flourish  in  the  heated 
atmosphere  of  those  parties,  than  could  a  plant 
brought  from  the  frigid  or  temperate  zone  under 
the  burning  rays  of  a  tropical  sun.  But  in  this 
pleasure-loving,  pleasure-seeking,  and  pleasure- 


HINDERAHCES  TO  PP,OG-RESS.          211 

inventing  age,  there  is  a  great  variety  of  amuse 
ments  perpetually  rising  up  -which  it  would  be 
impossible  to  say  are  sinful,  and  therefore  un 
lawful.  Yet  the  supposition  of  their  lawfulness 
viewed  in  connection  with  their  abundance, 
variety,  and  constant  repetition,  is  the  very 
thing  that  makes  them  dangerous  to  the  spirit 
of  true  religion.  A  taste  for  even  lawful  world 
ly  amusements,  which  leads  its  possessor  to  be 
fond  of  them,  seeking  them,  and  longing  for 
them,  shows  a  mind  that  is  in  a  very  doubtful 
state  as  to  vital  piety.  It  looks  as  if  he  had 
not  yet  entered  into  the  Saviour's  words  to  the 
woman  of  Samaria,  "  Whosoever  drinketh  of 
this  water  shall  thirst  again :  but  whosoever 
drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him, 
shall  never  thirst ;  but  the  water  that  I  shall 
give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water,  spring 
ing  up  into  everlasting  life."  John  4  : 13,  14. 
Now  this  thirsting  after  worldly  pleasure  of 
any  kind  would  seem  as  if  the  subject  of  it  had 
not  yet  drank  of  the  living  water  from  the  well 
of  salvation.  This  anxiety  after  even  innocent 
re  or  Idly  gratification  seems  to  indicate  that 
the  peace  which  passeth  all  understanding  had 


212  CHRISTIAN  PK.OG-UESS. 

not  yet  taken  possession  of  the  soul ;  and  this 
inquiry,  "  Who  will  show  us  any  good  ?"  hard 
ly  comports  with  a  mind  that  had  said  to  Grod, 
"  Lord,  lift  thou  up  the  light  of  thy  countenance 
upon  us.  Thou  hast  put  gladness  in  my  heart, 
more  than  in  the  time  that  their  corn  and  their 
wine  increased."  Psalm  4:6,  7. 

I  do  not  like  to  be  asked,  as  I  sometimes  am, 
the  question,  "whether  such  and  such  amuse 
ments  are  compatible  with  religion."  That  is, 
I  do  not  like  it  when  it  evidently  proceeds  from 
a  prevailing  wish  to  enjoy  them,  and  a  desire 
to  get  ministerial  sanction  for  indulging  in 
them.  It  ought  not  to  be  necessary  to  prove 
that  many  of  these  are  unlawful,  they  should 
be  found  unnecessary.* 

*  I  am  aware  that  it  is  sometimes  pleaded  on  behalf  of 
worldly  amusements  by  young  people,  that  abstinence  from 
them  represents  piety  as  clothed  with  austerity,  and  as  a  spe 
cies  of  penance,  and  that  religious  people  should  go  as  far  as 
they  can  in  these  things  to  disprove  the  calumny.  There  is 
something  perhaps  in  this,  but  it  requires  to  be  very  narrowly 
watched;  for,  without  caution,  see  how  far  it  would  carry 
us.  They  who  indulge  in  pleasures  which  no  religious  person 
could  ever  engage  in,  may  say  that  all  persons  must  have  a 
very  melancholy  religion  who  debar  themselves  of  their  pleas 
ures.  So  that  an  excessive  repugnance  to  all  amusements, 
and  the  repugnance  may,  I  concede,  be  excessive  and  almost 


HINDERANCES  TO  PROGRESS.         215 

After  all,  it  is  freely  admitted  that  religion 
is  not  hostile  to  any  thing  which  is  not  hostile 
to  it ;  that  many  things  which  are  not  religion, 
though  not  opposed  to  it,  may  be  lawfully  en 
joyed  by  the  Christian ;  that  what  he  has  to 
do  in  this  matter  is,  not  to  practise  total  absti 
nence,  but  moderation :  yet  he  should  remem 
ber  how  elastic  a  term  "  moderation"  is,  and  to 
be  vigilant  lest  his  moderation  should  contin 
ually  increase  its  latitude  till  it  has  swelled 
into  the  imperial  tyranny  of  an  appetite  which 
acknowledges  no  authority,  and  submits  to  no 
restraint. 

ridiculous,  should  not  be  so  beaten  down  as  to  make  way  for 
a  latitude  which  would  be  dangerous  to  personal  godliness. 
A  Christian  is  not  to  partake  of  the  pleasures  of  the  world  to 
prove  that  his  religion  does  not  debar  him  from  enjoyment; 
but  he  is  to  let  it  be  seen  by  his  "peace  that  passeth  under 
standing,"  and  his  "joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,"  that 
his  religion  gives  far  more  enjoyment  than  it  takes  away — 
that  in  fact  it  gives  him  the  truest  happiness.  The  way  to 
win  a  worldly  person  to  religion  is  not  to  go  and  partake  of 
his  amusements,  but  to  prove  to  him  that  we  are  happier 
with  our  pleasures  than  he  is  with  his ;  that  we  bask  in  sun 
shine,  while  he  has  only  a  smoking  taper ;  that  we  have  found 
the  "river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  from 
the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,"  while  he  is  drinking  of  tha 
muddy  streams  which  issue  from  the  earth. 


214  CHRISTIAN   PROGRESS. 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  READER. 

If  in  an  important  mission,  journey,  or  under 
taking  of  any  kind,  you  were  impeded  in  refer 
ence  to  the  object  contemplated,  you  would  in 
quisitively  and  anxiously  search  for  the  cause 
of  delay,  and  never  rest  satisfied  till  you  had 
found  and  removed  it.  I  am  now  supposing 
there  is  a  hinderance  of  one  or  more  kinds  to 
your  progress  towards  heaven,  to  your  increase 
of  faith  and  holiness.  There  are  stones  in  the 
way  to  be  gathered  out.  It  is  a  fearful  idea  to 
think  of  hinderances  to  heaven,  impediments  to 
holiness.  If  there  were  any  thing  that  hinder 
ed  your  health,  or  prosperity  in  business,  or  the 
success  of  any  earthly  scheme  whatever,  how 
earnestly  you  would  ask  the  question,  "  What 
is  it ;  what  is  it  ?"  How  thankful  you  would 
be  to  the  friend  who  pointed  it  out,  and  how 
diligently  you  would  set  to  work  to  take  it  out 
of  the  way.  "Well,  there  are  impediments  in 
your  way  to  Zion.  You  are  hindered.  You 
do  not  perhaps  make  progress.  How  is  this  ? 
I  say  to  you  what  the  apostle  did  to  the  Grala- 
tians,  "  Who  did  hinder  you  ?"  or  what  ?  Look 


HINDERANCE3  TO  .PROGRESS.     215 

back  througli  this  chapter  ;  take  up  every  par 
ticular  ;  say  of  each,  Is  it  this,  or  this,  that 
stops  my  progress  ?  I  ask  you,  and  I  implore 
you  to  ask  yourself, 

Is  it  indifference  to  the  subject  ? 

Is  it  the  unsubdued  corruption  of  your  na 
ture,  left  to  itself,  unresisted,  unmortified  ? 

Is  it  an  easily  besetting  sin  ? 

Is  it  one  of  the  mistakes  mentioned  in  the 
last  chapter  ? 

Is  it  the  peculiarity  of  your  situation  being 
unfriendly  to  a  life  of  piety  ? 

Is  it  unsuitable  companionship  ? 

Is  it  the  inconsistencies  of  professing  Chris 
tians  ? 

Is  it  a  taste  for  worldly  amusements  ? 

Is  it  persecution  ? 

Examine,  I  beseech  you,  examine  what  it 
is  that  arrests  you  in  your  course,  and  take  it 
away.  Again  I  say,  "  Gather  out  the  stones." 


216  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MOTIVES  TO  PROGRESS. 

IT  might  be  supposed  it  would  be  its  own 
motive.  "Who  need  to  be  admonished  to  pro 
ceed  in  a  course  on  which  they  have  entered, 
which  leads  to  wealth  ?  Do  the  men  who  have 
gone  to  the  gold  fields,  and  who  have  begun 
to  find  the  precious  metal,  need  to  be  stimulated 
to  go  forward  ?  And  yet  we  do  find  that  even 
in  relation  to  some  earthly  objects  of  pursuit, 
and  valuable  ones  too,  where  self-denial,  sacri 
fice,  and  surrender  of  present  gratification  for 
future  benefit  is  required,  much  persuasion  is 
sometimes  necessary  to  keep  the  person  in  con 
tinuous  exertion  for  the  attainment  of  the  de 
sired  good.  If  he  has  lost  his  health  by  excess 
in  the  indulgence  of  appetite,  either  in  the  way 
of  eating,  drinking,  or  any  other  lust  of  the 
flesh,  and  by  medicine  and  moderate  diet,  and 
other  restraints,  he  is  beginning  to  recover,  how 
necessary  in  some  cases  is  perpetual  exhorta 
tion,  to  induce  him  to  refrain  from  excess,  and 


MOTIVES  TO  PROGRESS.  217 

to  persevere  in  the  denial  of  his  appetite.  How 
earnest  we  must  be  in  setting  before  him  all 
the  motives  which  ought  to  have  weight  with 
him  in  leading  him  to  abstain  from  whatever 
is  injurious  to  his  health.  So  is  it  in  religion. 
A  person  just  commencing  his  attention  to  this 
momentous  concern  has  so  many  hinderances 
both  from  within  and  without  to  stop  his  prog 
ress,  that  he  needs  to  be  urged  forward  by  the 
voice  of  affectionate  entreaty.  He  must  be 
appealed  to  by  all  that  can  be  brought  to  bear 
upon  his  judgment,  heart,  and  conscience.  He 
is  like  a  man  just  awaking  out  of  a  deep  and 
heavy  slumber,  about  whom  the  drowsiness  still 
hangs,  and  who  is  strongly  inclined  to  fall  back 
again  upon  his  pillow  and  relapse  into  stupor. 
You  must  speak  loudly  to  him,  and  even  shake 
him  with  some  degree  of  violence,  and  compel 
him  to  rouse  himself  and  keep  himself  awake. 
Such  is  really  the  condition  of  a  recently  awak 
ened  sinner.  I  now  therefore  present  the 
motives  which  apply  to  his  case  for  making 
progress. 

1.  And  the  first  I  bring  forward  is  the  jne 
just  suggested,  the  danger  of  declension.     I 


218  CHRISTIAN  PROCURESS. 

may  even  add  to  this  the  proneness  to  declen 
sion.  The  progress  of  the  sinner  is  like  that 
of  a  stone  rolling  down  hill,  which  has  a  con 
tinual  tendency  to  go  of  itself,  and  by  every 
revolution  to  increase  its  speed  and  momen 
tum  :  that  of  a  believer  is  the  progress  of  a 
stone  up  hill,  which  has  not  only  a  considerable 
vis  inert-ice  to  be  overcome  by  great  effort,  but 
which  when  this  effort  is  suspended  tends  to 
roll  back  again.  The  stone  in  either  case  does 
not,  cannot  stand  still,  but  by  the  laws  of  mat 
ter  and  motion  must  keep  going  backward, 
unless  prevented  by  actual  effort.  This  is  im 
pressive,  and  deserves  very  serious  considera 
tion.  If  the  young  disciple  does  not  advance, 
he  will  in  all  probability  retrograde. 

Declension  after  we  have  once  made  a  pro 
fession,  or  have  been  awakened  to  solicitude, 
is  really  a  very  fearful  thing.  It  is  most  af 
fecting  and  alarming  to  see  a  person  once  deeply 
convinced  of  sin,  seriously  anxious  about  sal 
vation,  professedly  obtaining  peace  through 
faith  in  Christ  and  commencing  a  course  of 
practical  godliness,  either  falling  again  into  sin 
or  sinking  into  predominant  worldliness.  Has 


MOTIVES  TO  PROGRESS.  219 

not  this  sad  spectacle  been  often  witnessed  ? 
Have  we  not  seen  this  in  persons  who  at  one 
time  seemed  to  have  such  love  to  Christ  that 
it  might  have  been  fitly  called  the  love  of  their 
espousals  ?  They  scarcely  wished  for  any  other 
pleasure  than  that  which  was  enjoyed  in  com 
munion  with  himself  and  with  his  saints ;  his 
name  was  as  ointment  poured  forth,  and  they 
loved  his  very  image.  The  exercises  of  private 
prayer,  the  perusal  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  and 
the  public  ordinances  of  the  sanctuary  were 
waited  for  with  eager  expectation.  The  com 
pany  of  those  only  who  were  like-minded  was 
selected,  and  the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  (rod 
was  the  enterprise  which  most  interested  them. 
They  had  often  made  solemn  resolutions  before 
the  Lord,  and  had  often  said,  "  Thy  vows,  O 
God,  are  upon  me."  And  what,  and  where 
were  they  afterwards  ?  Alas,  how  changed ! 
All  their  former  resolutions  were  broken,  and 
all  their  habits  changed.  Their  first  love  sub 
sided  into  lukewarmness,  and  at  last  into  ab 
solute  coldness  and  indifference.  Prayer  was 
restrained ;  public  worship  neglected ;  the  Bible 
never  opened ;  the  company  of  the  saints  for- 


220  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

saken ;  the  love  of  pleasure  gained  the  ascen 
dency  ;  and  in  some  cases,  open  sins  that  had 
teen  forsaken,  were  again  practised.  The  poor 
backslider  himself  sometimes  has  conscience 
enough  left  to  be  made  miserable  by  its 
reproaches  and  stings;  while  they  who  had 
known  him  in  his  better  days  lament  over 
his  change,  and  exclaim  in  bitterness  of  heart, 
"  Alas,  how  fallen  !"  The  sins  of  such  a  person 
have  peculiar  aggravations.  They  are  com 
mitted  after  the  most  solemn  vows  and  engage 
ments,  and  against  clearer  light.  They  are 
without  any  provocation  on  the  part  of  G-od. 
"What  iniquity,"  said  God  to  the  Jews,  "have 
your  fathers  found  in  me,  that  they  are  gone 
far  from  me  ?"  Jer.  2:5.  A  question  which 
is  addressed  also  to  every  backslider,  and  which 
ought  to  cut  him  to  the  very  soul,  and  stir 
every  spring  of  sensibility  and  self- abhorrence. 
Did  the  backslider  find  him  a  hard  Master  ? 
Was  the  way  of  obedience  a  rugged  path, 
through  a  barren  wilderness  and  a  land  of 
drought  ?  Sins  after  profession  are  attended 
with  circumstances  of  peculiar  and  horrid  in 
gratitude.  After  G-od  has  poured  out  upon  us 


MOTIVES  TO  PROaRESS.  221 

his  Spirit,  taken  us  by  the  hand,  and  led  us  to 
repentance  and  the  beginning  of  a  religious 
course,  then  to  turn  away  from  him,  and  refuse 
any  longer  to  be  under  his  guidance,  how  base 
ly  thankless  is  all  this  !  Such  departures  from 
(rod  are  expressive  of  the  most  extreme  and 
singular  folly  as  well  as  wickedness.  They 
who  commit  them,  once  professed  to  be  happy 
in  serving  the  Lord.  They  seemed  to  have 
found  rest  in  Christ.  They  were  no  longer  run 
ning  up  and  down  in  the  world,  saying,  ""Who 
will  show  us  any  good  ?"  but  had  found  happi 
ness  in  religion.  Their  judgment  was  convinc 
ed  ;  their  heart  was  satisfied  ;  their  conscience 
was  quiet ;  their  whole  soul  was  at  peace.  But 
now,  by  turning  back  again  to  sin  or  to  the 
world,  they  cast  all  this  away.  And  they  can 
not  now  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  or  the  world 
as  they  once  did.  They  sometimes  feel  that 
they  have  made  a  foolish  bargain,  and  have 
exchanged  liberty  for  drudgery  and  slavery, 
peace  of  conscience  for  bitter  remorse,  joyful- 
ness  of  heart  for  sorrow  and  anguish.  It  is  a 
being  weary  of  the  government  of  the  Prince  of 
peace,  whose  yoke  is  easy  and  whose  burden 


222  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

is  light,  and  putting  their  necks  under  the 
iron  yoke  of  Satan,  which  crushes  them  to 
destruction. 

Such  conduct  also  causes  the  ways  of  godli 
ness  to  be  spoken  ill  of.  It  has  the  same  effect 
upon  many  as  the  ill  report  of  the  spies  who 
were  sent  to  survey  the  land  of  Canaan,  which 
discouraged  the  people,  caused  them  to  mur 
mur  and  rebel,  and  was  the  occasion  of  their 
perishing  in  the  wilderness.  The  backslider 
thus  perpetrates  a  double  mischief,  his  conduct 
is  infectious  and  tends  to  corrupt  those  who 
already  believe,  while  it  discourages  those  who 
do  not.  It  says  to  them,  "  I  have  tried  the 
paths  of  wisdom,  and  do  not  find  her  paths  as 
I  was  told  and  expected,  to  be  paths  of  pleasant 
ness  and  peace."  This  is  a  fearful  contradic 
tion  of  Grod's  word,  an  awful  calumny  upon 
religion,  and  in  effect  an  impious  blasphemy 
against  Grod.  Such  is  the  sin  of  declension 
and  backsliding ;  and  if  it  go  on  to  apostasy, 
then  how  fearful !  Read  what  the  apostle  has 
said  on  this  subject,  Heb.  6  : 5-9.  Let  every 
young  disciple  turn  to  the  passage,  read  the 
words,  and  tremble.  And  no  less  solemn  is 


MOTIVES  TO  PHOORESS.  223 

the  language  of  the  apostle  Peter,  2  Peter, 
2  :  21-22. 

It  is  not  only  possible,  but  probable,  that 
some  who  shall  read  this  work,  will  be  found 
by  it  in  various  stages  of  declension  already ; 
some  who  have  consciousness  enough  of  their 
situation  and  even  occasional  regret  enough  to 
borrow  the  poet's  lament : 

"  Where  is  the  blessedness  I  knew 

When  first  I  saw  the  Lord  ; 
Where  is  the  soul -refreshing  view 

Of  Jesus  and  his  word  ? 
"  What  peaceful  hours  I  once  enjoyed, 

How  sweet  their  memory  still ; 
But  they  have  left  an  aching  void 
The  world  can  never  fill." 

To  such  I  would  say,  instantly  take  alarm  and 
tremble  at  your  danger.  Let  the  words  of  God 
sound  like  thunder  in  your  ears,  "  If  any  man 
draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in 
him."  He  will  be  a  man  whom  God  ceases 
to  regard  with  approbation.  His  displeasure, 
instead  of  his  complacency,  rests  upon  him. 
He  marks  every  footstep  backward  with  re 
proach  and  disgust.  Can  you  bear  to  think  of 
this?  "  Can  your  heart  endure  and  your  hands 
be  strong"  in  such  a  situation?  Perhaps  the 


224  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

declension  is  yet  slight,  only  like  a  speck  of 
disease,  like  the  beginning  of  consumption, 
curable  if  taken  in  time,  but  fatal  if  suffered  to 
go  on  to  after-stages.  But  in  whatever  degree 
the  declension  may  have  taken  place,  it  should 
excite  solicitude  and  lead  to  immediate  efforts 
for  recovery.  The  counsel  delivered  by  our 
Lord  to  the  church  at  Ephesus  should  be 
hearkened  to  with  solemnity,  and  followed  with 
out  delay  :  "  Remember  from  whence  thou  art 
fallen,  and  repent  and  do  thy  first  works."  It 
is  not  enough  to  know  that  you  are  declining, 
nor  merely  to  lament  it ;  complaining  alone 
will  not  effect  a  cure.  We  may  sigh  and  go 
backward  to  the  last  period  of  our  lives.  Our 
chief  solicitude  must  be  to  recover  lost  ground. 
In  order  to  this,  there  must  be  deep  contrition 
and  profound  humiliation  before  God.  In  such 
a  state  we  must  begin  as  we  did  originally, 
with  conviction  of  sin.  The  backslider  must 
return  through  the  valley  of  humiliation.  There 
is  no  other  way  back  for  the  wanderer.  It 
will  be  well  to  inquire  diligently  after  the  cause 
of  the  declension.  "What  was  it  that  led  you 
astray?  Here  begin  in  the  way  of  return. 


MOTIVES  TO  PUOG-RESS.  225 

The  point  where  you  left  the  road  is  of  course 
the  point  at  which  you  must  return  to  it.  If 
it  were  a  sin  of  neglect,  instantly  take  up  the 
omitted  duty.  If  it  were  a  sin  of  practice, 
immediately  put  it  away.  It  will  perhaps  be 
somewhat  difficult  to  recover  your  standing ; 
for  as  we  have  said,  declension  is  a  down-hill 
progress,  but  the  way  of  return  is  all  up  hill. 
You  will  perhaps  be  ashamed,  afraid,  and 
somewhat  reluctant  to  go  back.  He  who  un 
gratefully  and  ungenerously  quits  a  friend,  feels 
some  shyness  and  backwardness  to  return,  and 
say,  "  I  have  sinned ;  forgive  me."  So  is  it 
with  the  backslider  towards  God.  But  mark 
his  love,  where,  even  to  backsliding  Israel,  who 
had  so  often  gone  away  from  him,  he  said, 
"  0  Israel,  return  unto  the  Lord  thy  God  ;  for 
thou  hast  fallen  by  thine  iniquity.  Take  with 
you  words,  and  turn  to  the  Lord  :  say  unto 
him,  Take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  us 
graciously  :  so  will  we  render  the  cialves,"  offer 
ings,  "of  our  lips.  I  will  heal  their  backsliding, 
I  will  love  them  freely  ;  for  mine  anger  is 
turned  away  from  him."  Hosea  14  :  1,  2,  4. 
And  to  convince  you  how  ready  Grod  is  to  re 
cur.  Prog.  ]  5 


226  CHRISTIAN  PE.OaE.ESS. 

ceive  you,  let  me  refer  you  to  that  wonderfully 
pathetic  passage,  where  (rod  is  represented  as 
a  loving  father,  overhearing  the  confession  and 
lamentation  of  his  penitent  child,  and  lavishing 
upon  him  the  fondness  of  his  paternal  heart, 
Jer.  31  :  18-20.  "What  heart  can  stand  out 
against  the  melting  pathos  of  this  wonderful 
passage  ?  What  backslider  need  now  fear  to 
return  to  the  Lord  ? 

2.  It  should  "be  most  impressively  felt  that 
progression  is  commanded  and  expected  by  God. 
We  now  refer  you  back  to  the  commands  which 
are  given  in  the  second  chapter ;  and  would 
especially  fix  your  attention  on  those  which 
enjoin  you  to  seek  after  perfection.  This  is  a 
subject  which  a  young  Christian  should  thor 
oughly  understand,  but  which  few  do  either 
understand  or  consider.  Misconceptions  on 
this  subject  are  fatal  to  growth.  The  verb, 
"  be  perfect,"  and  the  noun,  "  perfection,"  are 
of  such  frequent  occurrence  in  the  New  Testa 
ment,  that  the  subject  to  which  they  refer 
ought  to  engage  the  close  and  serious  attention 
of  every  professing  Christian.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  these  terms  are  sometimes  em- 


MOTIVES  TO  PROGRESS.  227 

ployed  by  the  sacred  writers  in  a  comparative 
sense,  as  signifying  high  degrees,  eminence, 
completeness  of  parts.  In  Hebrews  6  :  1,  per 
fection  signifies  the  more  sublime,  enlarged, 
spiritual,  and  complete  views  of  Christian  doc 
trine,  as  opposed  to  first  principles.  In  1  Cor. 
2:6,  Phil.  3:15,  "to  be  perfect,"  means  to 
be  far  advanced  in  knowledge.  But  there  are 
other  places  where  it  is  unquestionably  to  be 
understood  in  its  unqualified  sense,  as  intending 
absolute  and  sinless  perfection  ;  such  are  2  Cor. 
7:1:  "  Having  therefore  these  promises,  dearly 
beloved,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthi- 
ness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness 
in  the  fear  of  God."  So  again,  Heb.  13  :  21, 
"  Make  you  perfect  in  every  good  work." 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  these  passages 
the  apostle  means  entire  freedom  from  sin,  an 
absolutely  spotless  holiness. 

"  The  apostle  does  not  say,"  to  quote  the 
comment  of  Barnes,  "that  this  perfection  has 
ever  been  attained,  or  is  attainable,  in  this 
world ;  nor  does  he  say  that  it  has  not  been. 
He  only  urges  the  obligation  to  make  an  effort 
to  be  entirely  holy ;  jjrid  this  obligation  is  not 


228  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

affected  by  llie  inquiry  whether  any  one  has 
beenj  or  has  not  been,  perfect.  It  is  an  obliga 
tion  which  results  from  the  nature  of  the  law 
of  God,  and  his  unchangeable  claims  upon  the 
soul.  The  fact  that  no  one  has  been  perfect, 
does  not  relax  the  claim  ;  the  fact  that  no  one 
will  be  perfect  in  this  life,  does  not  weaken 
the  obligation ;  it  proves  only  the  deep  and 
dreadful  depravity  of  the  human  heart,  and 
should  humble  us  under  the  stubbornness  of 
guilt.  The  obligation  to  be  perfect  is  one  that 
is  eternal  and  unchangeable.  The  unceasing 
and  steady  aim  of  every  Christian  should  be 
perfection,  perfection  in  all  things — in  the 
love  of  G-od,  of  Christ,  of  man  ;  perfection  of 
feeling,  words,  and  plans,  and  dealings  with 
man;  perfection  in  prayers  and  submission  to 
the  will  of  God.  No  man  can  be  a  Christian 
wrho  does  not  sincerely  desire  it,  and  who  does 
not  constantly  aim  at  it.  No  man  is  a  friend 
of  God  who  can  acquiesce  in  a  state  of  sin, 
and  who  is  satisfied  and  contented  that  he  is 
not  as  holy  as  God  is  holy.  And  any  man  who 
has  no  desire  to  be  perfect  as  God  is,  and  who 
does  not  make  it  his  daily  study  and  constant 


MOTIVES  TO  PKOG-E.ESS.  229 

aim  to  be  perfect  as  Grod  is  perfect,  may  set  it 
down  as  demonstratively  certain  that  he  has  no 
true  religion.  How  can  a  man  ho  a  Christian 
who  is  willing  to  acquiesce  in  a  state  of  sin, 
and  who  does  not  desire  to  he  just  like  his 
Master  and  Lord  ?" 

This  is  strong  and  impressive  language,  and 
requires  the  very  devout,  serious,  and  solemn 
consideration  of  all  who  are  beginning  the 
divine  life,  as  showing  them  what  is  to  be  their 
aim,  their  study,  and  their  endeavor — even  to 
be  perfect  in  every  good  work.  Young  con 
verts  see  no  perfection  in  others  ;  they  hear  it 
said  by  Christians  there  is  no  perfection ;  they 
feel  none  in  themselves ;  and  therefore  never 
dream  that  it  is  their  duty  to  seek  after  it ; 
and  thus  reconciling  themselves  to  all  kinds 
and  degrees  of  imperfections,  begin  and  con 
tinue  with  a  very  low  state  of  religion.  I 
believe  that  infinite  mischief  is  done  to  the 
souls  of  men,  that  the  profession  of  godliness 
is  much  disparaged  and  dishonored,  and  the 
lustre  of  the  church  dimmed,  by  a  prevalent 
forgetfulness,  and  in  some  quarters  a  denial, 
that  it  is  our  duty  to  go  on  unto  perfection, 


230  CHRISTIAN  PROQRESS. 

Many  are  tolerating  all  kinds  and  degrees  of 
imperfection,  under  the  plea  that  none  are 
absolutely  perfect.  Young  disciples  have  teen 
taught  as  one  of  their  first  lessons  in  theology, 
that  as  absolute  perfection  is  not  attained  in 
this  life,  it  is  useless  to  seek  after  it,  and  that 
they  may  be  very  good  Christians,  even  while 
not  only  possessing  but  indulging  many  known 
corruptions.  I  would  not  for  the  world  be 
misunderstood  ;  I  would  not  break  the  bruised 
reed,  nor  quench  the  smoking  flax.  I  would 
not  say  any  thing  to  cast  a  stumbling-block  in 
the  way  of  the  feeblest  lamb  in  all  the  flock  of 
Christ ;  and  yet  I  would  be  equally  solicitous 
to  guard  them  against  self-deception.  "What  I 
say  then,  is  this,  not  that  all  imperfections  are 
evidence  of  an  unconverted  state,  but  that  the 
intentional  indulgence  of  them,  knowing  them 
to  be  such,  under  the  notion  that  a  great 
amount  of  imperfection  is  compatible  with  a 
state  of  grace,  is  so.  Not  that  the  possession 
of  perfection  is  essential  as  an  evidence  of  sin 
cerity,  but  a  desire  and  pursuit  after  it. 

3.  Progress  is  a  bright  evidence  of  sincerity. 
Growth,  as  we  have  already  remarked,  is  the 


MOTIVES  TO  PROGRESS.  231 

proof  of  life.  Dead  things  do  not  grow.  There 
are  few  minds  among  professors  of  religion  in 
which  the  question  does  not,  and  none  in  which 
it  ought  not,  with  deep  anxiety,  sometimes  to 
arise,  "  Am  I,  or  am  I  not,  a  child  of  (rod  ?" 

Now,  surely  the  transition  from  death  to  life ; 
the  change  from  an  unregenerate  to  a  converted 
state  ;  the  ceasing  to  be  an  enemy  to  (rod  by 
wicked  works,  and  becoming  his  child  by  filial 
love  and  obedience,  cannot  be  a  change  of  so 
trivial,  superficial,  and  undistinguishable  a 
nature  as  not  to  be  ascertained  without  great 
difficulty.  It  might  be  supposed  to  be  easily 
recognized  where  it  really  exists.  True  it  is, 
that  the  change  is  in  some  cases  more  marked 
than  in  others.  Where  the  conversion  is  sudden, 
and  is  a  turning  from  actual  vice,  or  awful 
infidelity,  or  even  from  flagrant  heresy,  it  is 
more  apparent,  and  more  easily  determined  by 
consciousness,  than  where  it  is  the  gradual 
formation  of  religious  character  in  persons  pre 
viously  correct  in  their  general  conduct,  and 
brought  up  under  religious  instruction.  It  is 
in  these  latter  cases,  that  doubts  and  fears 
about  sincerity  must  be  expected  more  fre- 


232  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

quently  and  painfully  to  occur.  It  is,  there 
fore,  in  these  cases  that  progress  is  indispensable 
as  an  evidence  of  sincerity.  For  it  must  be 
recollected,  that  even  in  these,  growth  is  as 
essential  to  life  as  in  the  others.  Grace  never 
finds  in  nature  a  subject  for  which  there  is 
need  of  little  to  be  done.  There  may  be  very 
beautiful  wild  flowers  blooming,  or  very  good 
fruits  growing  in  the  wilderness,  yet  even  these 
can  be  carried  on  to  much  higher  beauty  and 
much  richer  flavor  by  the  culture  of  the 
greenhouse  and  the  hothouse.  "When  tho 
young  disciple  can  say,  "  True,  I  have  not  to 
compare,  as  the  effect  of  Grod's  converting 
grace,  a  virtuous  with  a  vicious  life.  I  have 
not  to  contrast  a  present  pious  belief  with  a 
former  blaspheming  infidelity.  But  I  find  an 
increasing  loosening  from  many  of  my  former 
tastes.  The  love  of  worldly  pleasure,  which 
even  at  my  commencement  of  a  religious  life 
was  strong  in  me,  is  evidently  weakened,  and 
I  find  piety  more  and  more  the  source  of  my 
happiness.  If  a  growing  conscientiousness  to 
avoid  little  sins,  and  to  practise  small  duties, 
be  a  proof  of  sincerity,  I  rejoice  to  say  I  have 


MOTIVES  TO  PROaRESS.  233 

this.  As  regards  besetting  sins,  I  have  reason 
to  believe  these  are  far  more  mortified  than 
they  were,  and  temptations  to  them  have  less 
power  over  me.  My  temper,  once  so  irritable 
and  impetuous,  is  subdued  ;  and  I  find  it  more 
easy  to  govern  my  tongue.  My  prejudices 
towards  those  who  differ  from  me  in  religious 
opinions  have  been  softened  by  the  influence  of 
Christian  charity.  If  these  things  be  evidence 
of  sincerity,  I  am  no  self-deceiver  ;  for  I  can 
certainly  perceive  in  myself  these  marks  of 
progress." 

Here  I  will  present  a  passage  of  holy  Scrip 
ture,  which  it  is  of  importance  every  young 
disciple  should  "  read,  mark,  learn,  and  inward 
ly  digest."  The  apostle  Peter  thus  exhorts: 
"  Wherefore  the  rather,  brethren,  give  diligence 
to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure."  2  Pe 
ter,  1 : 10.  The  things  to  be  made  sure  are 
our  "  calling  and  election,"  G-od's  choice  of  us, 
manifested  by  his  converting  us ;  in  other 
words,  our  spiritual  character  and  spiritual 
safety.  To  make  this  sure,  or  certain,  cannot 
have  reference  to  Grod,  for  no  act  of  ours  can 
make  more  certain  any  thing  he  does.  Nor  can 


234  CHRISTIAN  PP,OG-RESS. 

it  refer  to  the  things  themselves,  for  if  a  man 
be  really  chosen  and  called  of  G-od,  nothing 
that  he  can  do  can  make  these  more  certain. 
It  must  therefore  refer  to  ourselves.  God  treats 
us  as  rational  and  moral  agents,  and  what  may 
be  absolutely  certain  in  his  mind  from  his  mere 
purpose  that  it  shall  be  so,  is  to  be  proved  to 
us  only  by  evidence  and  the  free  exercise  of 
our  own  powers.  The  meaning  therefore  of 
this  passage  is,  that  we  are  to  obtain  evidence 
that  this  is  our  condition.  And  how  are  we  to 
obtain  it  ?  The  celebrated  Cud  worth,  in  his 
sermon  on  the  text,  "  Hereby  do  we  know  that 
we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  commandments," 
has  the  following  remarks  upon  the  passage 
from  St.  Peter  which  I  am  now  considering: 
"  He  that  builds  all  his  comfort  upon  an  un 
grounded  persuasion  that  G-od  from  all  eternity 
hath  loved  him,  and  absolutely  decreed  him  to 
life  and  happiness,  and  seeketh  not  for  God 
really  dwelling  in  his  soul,  builds  his  house 
upon  a  quicksand,  and  it  shall  suddenly  sink 
and  be  swallowed  up.  "We  are  nowhere  com 
manded  to  pry  into  these  secrets,  but  the 
wholesome  counsel  and  advice  given  us  is  this, 


MOTIVES  TO  PROG-RESS.  235 

1  to  make  our  calling  and  election  sure?  We 
have  no  warrant  in  Scripture  to  peep  into  these 
hidden  rolls  and  volumes  of  eternity,  and  to 
make  it  the  first  thing  we  do,  when  we  come 
to  Christ,  to  spell  out  our  names  in  the  stars, 
and  to  persuade  ourselves  that  we  are  certainly 
elected  to  everlasting  happiness,  before  we  see 
the  image  of  God  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness  shaped  in  our  hearts.  God's  everlast 
ing  decree  is  too  dazzling  and  bright  an  object 
for  us  at  first  to  set  our  eyes  upon.  It  is  far 
easier  and  safer  for  us  to  look  upon  the  rays  of 
his  goodness  and  holiness,  as  they  are  reflected 
in  our  hearts,  and  there  to  read  the  mild  and 
gentle  characters  of  God's  love  to  us,  in  our 
love  to  him,  and  our  hearty  compliance  with 
Heaven's  will ;  as  it  is  safer  for  us,  if  we  would 
S38  the  sun,  to  look  upon  it  here  below  in  a 
pail  of  water,  than  to  cast  up  our  daring  eyes 
to  the  body  of  the  sun  itself  which  is  too  radi 
ant  and  scorching  for  us.  The  best  assurance 
any  one  can  have  of  his  interest  in  God,  is 
doubtless  the  conformity  of  his  soul  to  Him. 
When  our  heart  is  once  turned  into  a  conformity 
with  the  mind  of  God,  when  we  feel  our  will 


236  CHRISTIAN   PROaRESS. 

conformed  to  his  will,  we  shall  then  presently 
perceive  a  spirit  of  adoption  within  ourselves, 
teaching  us  to  say,  Abba,  Father.  We  shall 
not  then  care  for  peeping  into  those  hidden  rec 
ords  of  eternity,  to  see  whether  our  names  are 
written  there  in  golden  characters  ;  no,  we  shall 
find  a  copy  of  God's  thoughts  concerning  us 
written  in  our  own  breasts.  There  we  may 
read  the  character  of  his  favor  towards  us — 
there  we  may  feel  an  inward  sense  of  his  love 
to  us,  flowing  out  of  our  hearty  and  unfeigned 
love  to  him.  And  we  shall  be  more  undoubt 
edly  persuaded  of  it,  than  if  any  of  those  wing 
ed  watchers  above,  that  are  prying  into  heaven's 
secrets,  should  come  and  tell  us  that  they  saw 
our  names  enrolled  in  those  volumes  of  eternity." 
4.  Progress  is  its  own  reward.  From  what 
infelicity  is  the  advancing  Christian  protected. 
He  has  not  the  unhappiness  which  in  many,  if 
not  in  most  cases,  declension  brings  upon  its 
subject.  But  as  pain  is  still  a  sign  of  life, 
though  a  suffering  one,  even  this  is  better  than 
the  insensibility  of  death.  In  the  case  jus4 
mentioned,  the  individual  still  retains  sorn* 
considerable  tenderness  of  conscience,  some  re- 


MOTIVES  TO  PR,OOB.ESS.  237 

ligious  sensibility,  without  being  supposed  to  be 
hankering  after  the  amusements  of  the  world  ; 
but  I  am  now  speaking  of  those  who  are  almost 
entirely  dead  to  religious  feeling  and  strongly 
inclined  to  gayety,  yet  in  some  measure  held  in 
check  by  the  last  lingering  remains  of  religion. 
They  are  still  professors,  but  find  their  profes 
sion  only  a  clog  and  a  hinderance  to  their 
pleasures.  They  see  its  inconsistency  with 
their  tastes  and  occasional  enjoyments,  and 
find  it  as  a  drop  of  bitter  in  their  cup  of  gratifi 
cation.  Sometimes  they  wish  they  had  never 
made  a  profession  of  religion.  They  are  morose 
and  ill-tempered  with  themselves  for  ever  think 
ing  of  being  a  Christian,  and  till  they  are  led 
to  abandon  it  altogether,  which  at  length  they 
are  brought  to  do,  they  are  checked  by  it,  much 
to  their  annoyance,  in  their  course.  This  is  a 
wretched  state  of  mind ;  it  spoils  its  possessor 
both  for  the  world  and  for  religion. 

But  these  are  only  the  negative  side  of  the 
pleasure  of  growth ;  we  turn  therefore  to  the 
positive.  And  here  we  would  remark,  that 
progress  in  any  thing  on  which  we  have  set  our 
hearts,  is  always  agreeable;  and  this  applies 


238  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

especially  to  religion.  Viewed  in  its  true  na 
ture,  it  unites  the  highest  dignity  with  the 
purest  pleasure.  Her  ways  are  ways  not  only 
of  pleasure  and  paths  of  peace,  but  of  honor 
and  renown.  Can  any  thing  he  loftier,  nobler, 
sublimer,  than  a  growing  conformity  to  the 
image  of  God ;  to  see  a  stronger  and  a  stronger 
resemblance  to  God  in  our  soul ;  to  behold 
the  moral  attributes  of  the  divine  nature  fixed 
with  a  deeper  and  a  deeper  coloring  on  the 
character  ?  What  to  this  is  the  pleasure  of  the 
artist  in  seeing  the  correct  likeness  of  some 
great  monarch,  or  some  wonderful  genius,  grow 
ing  under  his  hand  upon  the  canvas  ?  How 
exalted  is  the  pleasure  of  religion ;  it  is  the  bliss 
of  angels,  the  happiness  of  spirits  made  perfect, 
yea,  the  joy  of  God's  own  heart.  It  is  enjoyed 
under  the  smile  of  conscience,  and  conscience 
is  undoubtedly  the  great  repository  and  maga 
zine  of  all  those  pleasures  that  can  afford  any 
solid  refreshment  to  the  soul.  "When  this  is 
calm,  serene,  and  smiling,  then  the  man  per 
fectly  enjoys  all  things,  and  what  is  more,  him 
self,  for  that  he  must  do  before  he  can  enjoy 
any  thing  else.  It  is  a  pleasure  that  never 


MOTIVES  TO  PRUORESS.  239 

satiates  nor  wearies.  Can  the  lover  of  worldly 
pleasure  say  this  ?  With  him  how  short  is  the 
interval  between  a  pleasure  and  a  burden. 

But  we  may  descend  to  a  few  details.  How 
delightful  is  it  to  grow  in  knowledge.  "With 
what  a  passion  for  this  are  some  minds  possess 
ed.  And  if  such  be  the  value  of  secular  know 
ledge,  how  much  greater  the  worth  of  that 
which  is  divine.  Can  any  thing  be  more  de 
lightful,  than  to  be  ever  finding  out  some  new 
meanings,  some  fresh  beauties  in  the  word  of 
(rod ;  for  the  spiritual  astronomer  to  discover 
some  new  star  in  the  firmament  of  inspiration ; 
or  for  the  spiritual  botanist  to  light  on  some 
new  flower  in  the  fields  of  revelation  ? 

But  take  also  the  trio  of  graces  set  forth  by 
the  apostle — FAITH,  HOPE,  CHARITY  ;  and  here 
again  we  say,  to  grow  in  each  and  all  of  these 
is  to  advance  in  happiness.  FAITH  is  the  first 
source  of  all  true  joy  to  the  Christian.  "  In 
whom  believing,"  says  the  apostle,  "  we  re 
joice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory." 
Faith  looks  abroad  upon  the  whole  field  of 
revelation,  in  all  of  whose  facts,  doctrines,  pre 
cepts,  invitations,  and  promises,  it  finds  so 


240  CHRISTIAN  PROG-BESS. 

many  separate  objects  of  delight.  But  it  con 
centrates  its  attention  on  Christ  and  heaven. 
It  looks  with  wonder,  gratitude,  and  love,  on 
the  cross,  and  then  passes  on  with  similar 
feelings  to  the  crown  of  glory.  To  grow  in 
faith  is  therefore  to  grow  in  bliss  ;  and  to  put 
up  the  prayer,  "  Lord,  increase  our  faith,"  is 
only  in  other  words  to  say,  "  Lord,  increase 
our  happiness."  Here  we  see  the  reason  why 
so  many  professing  Christians  go  mourning  all 
their  days — their  faith  is  so  weak  ;  and  it  is  of 
momentous  consequence  for  every  young  Chris 
tian  at  his  very  outset  in  the  divine  life  to 
understand  that  faith  is  the  branch,  of  which 
joy  is  the  blossom,  and  holiness  the  fruit. 
Much  the  same  strain  of  remark  may  be  made 
in  reference  to  HOPE.  It  is  easy  to  see  that  all 
hope  must  be  pleasant  from  its  very  nature. 
This  is  the  case  with  even  worldly  expecta 
tions.  Poets  have  sung  "the  pleasures  of 
hope,"  and  experience  has  justified  and  echoed 
the  strain.  The  apostle  in  describing  the 
Christian  state  of  mind  in  reference  to  this 
object,  speaks  of  it  as  "rejoicing  in  hope," 
Romans  12 : 12,  which  is  but  a  repetition  of 


MOTIVES  TO  PllOaRESS.  241 

what  he  had  said  before,  "  And  rejoice  in  hope 
of  the  glory  of  God."     Rom.  5  :  2. 

CHARITY,  or  LOVE,  is  another  of  the  compo 
nent  parts  of  religion  mentioned  by  the  apostle, 
to  advance  in  which  is  to  advance  in  happiness. 
GOD  is  LOVE,  and  he  is  also  the  blessed  God ; 
and  he  is  the  blessed  God,  because  ho  is  love. 
It  is  impossible  it  should  be  otherwise.  All 
the  malevolent  feelings  are  productive  of  misery 
to  the  subject  of  them.  For  this  reason,  Satan, 
whose  nature  is  unmixed  malignity,  must  be 
the  subject  of  unmixed  misery.  No  happiness 
can  dwell  in  that  bosom  from  which  all  benevo 
lence  is  expelled ;  while  no  misery  can  be 
found  in  that  breast  from  which  all  malevolence 
is  cast  out.  Perfect  love  casteth  out  not  only 
fear,  but  wretchedness.  Let  any  one  read  the 
description  of  love  in  the  epistle  to  the  Corin 
thians,  and  say  if  the  grace  there  described 
must  not  contain  the  very  elements  of  bliss. 
And  is  not  growth  in  holiness  equally  delight 
ful  ?  Holiness  is  our  spiritual  health,  as  sin 
is  our  disaaso.  How  beautiful  and  how  well 
worthy  our  attention  and  adoption  for  ourselves 
was  the  prayer  of  the  apostle  for  Gaius  :  "  Be- 

Chr.  Prog.  1  G 


242  CHRISTIAN  PROaRESS. 

loved,  I  wish  above  all  things  that  thou  mayest 
prosper  and  he  in  health,  even  as  thy  soul 
prospereth."  3  John,  2.  Health,  and  especially 
growing  health,  is  one  of  the  most  delightful 
sensations  we  can  experience.  To  feel  the  tide 
of  energy  flow  back  to  its  forsaken  channel, 
and  the  depressed  frame  become,  amidst  the 
beauties  of  nature  and  the  breezes  of  heaven, 
more  and  more  buoyant,  the  step  more  elastic, 
the  appetite  more  keen,  and  the  power  of 
exertion  more  vigorous :  this  is  to  experi 
ence  in  some  cases  almost  a  type  of  the  resur 
rection.  But  even  this  does  not  equal  the  joy 
of  growing  in  grace,  of  returning  and  increasing 
spiritual  health. 

5.  It  adds  to  the  credit  and  redounds  to  the 
honor  of  religion  generally.  It  is  given  out 
to  the  world,  and  the  world  knows  it,  that  in 
crease  is  one  part  of  the  Christian's  duty  and 
profession.  Our  phraseology  and  the  language 
of  Scripture  are  well  known  to  those  who  are 
not  pious,  and  who  make  no  pretensions  to  be 
so.  They  hear  us  preach  and  pray  and  talk 
about  growth  in  grace  ;  about  our  light  shining 
more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day ;  about 


MOTIVES  TO  PROG-RESS.  243 

our  running  the  Christian  race,  and  other 
matters  of  a  like  kind :  they  very  naturally 
take  us  at  our  word,  and  knowing  that  all 
these  figures  of  speech  import  progress,  they 
look  for  it,  and  expect  to  see  it,  and  are  disap 
pointed  if  they  do  not  see  it ;  and  when  they 
observe  those  inconsistencies  which  prove  that 
we  are  either  not  going  forward,  but  ever  going 
back,  they  taunt  us  with  the  sarcasm,  "  Where 
is  your  advancement  ?"  "  Is  this  your  growth  ?" 
"  Is  it  thus  you  improve  ?"  In  all  other  mat 
ters,  or  most  others,  they  do  see  it  in  this 
world's  affairs,  and  ought  to  see  it  in  religion. 
It  adds  to  the  credit  of  any  system  of  medical 
practice,  or  of  any  individual  practitioner,  when 
under  their  treatment  the  health  of  the  patient 
is  restored ;  so  also  it  redounds  to  the  honor  of 
a  schoolmaster  or  a  teacher  of  any  kind  when 
his  pupils  make  great  and  rapid  advance  in 
what  they  are  taught ;  while  on  the  contrary, 
it  discredits  either  or  both  of  these,  when  there 
is  no  improvement.  And  must  it  not  be  the 
same  with  religion  ?  Yet,  is  there  no  occasion 
given  by  the  conduct  of  many  for  some  such 
reflections  on  the  part  of  worldly  people  as 


244  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

tliese  ?  "  Every  system  which,  professes  to  lead 
onward  those  who  are  under  it,  proves  its 
excellence  for  this  purpose  "by  its  results.  And 
in  most  we  do  see  a  manifest  advance  in  those 
who  place  themselves  under  it.  We  see  boys 
growing  in  knowledge  at  school,  apprentices 
advancing  in  acquaintance  with  their  business, 
and  young  tradesmen  becoming  more  and  more 
clever  in  secular  affairs.  It  ought,  of  course, 
to  be  so  in  religion.  The  people  who  profess  it 
have  the  Bible  in  their  own  hands  ;  they  go  to 
church  every  Sunday  with  great  regularity ; 
they  take  the  sacrament ;  and  in  many  other 
things  make  great  -ado  about  their  religion. 
Now,  with  all  these  means,  opportunities,  and 
advantages  for  personal  improvement  and 
spiritual  culture,  what  manner  of  persons 
ought  they  to  be  ?  These  people  tell  us  that 
it  is  one  of  their  principles  to  grow  in  grace. 
What  evident,  conspicuous  improvement  ought 
therefore  to  be  seen  in  them.  And  yet  really 
religion  seems  to  be  almost  the  only  thing  in 
which  men  do  not  make  progress,  if  we  may 
judge  by  their  conduct.  What  increase  of 
knowledge  may  take  place  in  their  minds  we 


MOTIVES  TO  PROGRESS.  245 

cannot  tell,  nor  how  often  they  pray  in  their 
families  or  in  their  closets ;  but  forming  our 
opinions  by  their  outward  conduct  and  visible 
character,  the  light  of  holiness  does  not  shine 
brighter  and  brighter  before  men.  We  have 
known  some  of  them  many  years,  and  have 
watched  them  closely,  though  not  unfairly, 
much  less  malignantly,  but  we  must  confess 
we  see  very  little,  if  any  improvement  in 
them.  Nay,  in  some  things,  they  have  even 
gone  back,  and  are  worse  than  they  were  when 
they  first  made  a  profession  of  religion." 

Dreadful  reproach!  Alas,  alas,  how  just  in 
application  to  some,  as  well  as  dreadful !  Let 
it  be  the  deep  solicitude  of  every  one  who  has 
the  least  regard  for  the  honor  and  credit  of  the 
gospel  to  roll  this  reproach  away,  by  present 
ing  a  character  in  which  all  the  beauties  of 
holiness  shall  be  continually  coming  out  in 
bolder  and  more  striking  relief.  How  would 
it  raise  not  only  the  gospel,  but  the  church  of 
Christ,  in  public  estimation,  if  men  looked  up 
to  it  as  a  school  where  the  pupils  were  ever 
studying  how  to  advance  in  all  that  can  make 
them  acceptable  to  Grod,  and  useful  to  man. 


246  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

What  reverence  would  it  secure  for  the  minis 
ter  of  the  gospel}  and  what  respect  for  his  min 
istrations,  i&by<him  and  by  others,  it  were 
seen  that  all  who  profess  to  have  been  convert 
ed  by  his  preaching,  were  beheld  engaged  in 
an  arduous  struggle  against  all  that  is  evil, 
and  continually  making  attainments  in  all  that 
is  good. 

6.  And  is  it  not  a  powerful  motive  to  grow 
in  grace,  to  consider  that  our  present  attain 
ments  in  true  religion  have  a  connection  with, 
and  will  have  an  influence  upon  our  heaven 
ly  and  eternal  stale?  There  is  a  much  closer 
relation  between  our  present  selves  in  this 
world,  and  our  future  selves  in  the  next,  than 
most  persons  are  aware  of.  "  What  a  man 
soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap,"  both  in  quali 
ty  and  quantity.  It  is  not  possible  to  set  out 
in  the  Christian  profession  with  a  more  in 
structive  or  impressive  idea  than  this — life  is 
the  seed-time  for  eternity.  It  is  a  common 
way  to  think  of  heaven  and  hell  as  if  they 
were  two  states  where  all  are  alike  happy  in 
the  one,  or  miserable  in  the  other,  whatever 
may  have  been  their  attainments  in  holiness, 


MOTIVES  TO 


or  their  deeds  of 
righteous  will  be  in  heaVen,  and  that  all  will 
be  perfectly  happy  there,  is  quite  true.  As 
regards  the  general  sources  of  heavenly  felicity, 
these  will  be  open  alike  to  all ;  but  this  does 
not  suppose  that  in  many  particulars,  there 
will  not  be  an  endless  variety.  We  know  too 
little  of  the  future  state  to  specify  these  mat 
ters  ;  we  walk  by  faith.  "  It  doth  not  yet  ap 
pear  what  we  shall  be."  There  are,  no  doubt, 
innumerable  sources  of  delight,  and  varieties 
of  employment,  of  which  we  can  now  form  no 
more  conception  than  we  can  of  the  exercises 
and  pleasures  of  a  sixth  sense.  There  may, 
and  in  all  probability  will  be  social  gradations 
of  rank,  diversities  of  post,  place,  and  service, 
and  higher  and  lower  degrees  of  honorable  dis 
tinction.  For  these  a  proportionate  and  di 
versified  fitness  may  be  required.  One  man 
may  be  more  qualified  for  some  high  place  and 
honorable  service  in  the  heavenly  world  than 
another ;  and  that  which  constitutes  the  quali 
fication  for  this  higher  place  may  be,  not  so 
much  great  intellectual  powers  in  our  earthly 
state,  but  more  eminent  piety.  It  is  not  the 


248  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

man  of  large  yet  unsanctified  understanding, 
that  is  qualified  for  heaven,  hut  the  man  of 
sanctified  heart.  It  is  moral  and  spiritual  excel 
lence  that  is  the  meetness  for  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light.  And  whatever  may  be 
the  measure  of  his  intellectual  capacity,  he  is 
the  most  meet  for  it  who  is  most  holy.  If  this 
be  true,  many  an  eminently  holy  peasant  or 
artisan,  will  he  higher  in  glory  than  the  less 
holy  philosopher  or  scholar  ;  and  many  a  youth 
ful  Christian  cut  off  in  the  morning  of  his  days, 
but  carried  away  in  the  full  blossom  of  dis 
tinguished  piety,  be  found  more  qualified  to 
serve  Grod  in  some  high  place  above,  than  the 
aged  professor  of  low  and  small  degrees  of 
personal  godliness.  Is  it  to  be  conceived  Grod 
will  deal  out  as  much  commendation  upon  even 
<in  eminent  Christian,  as  upon  a  martyr  or  an 
apostle  ?  Or  to  take  a  more  ordinary  case,  upon 
the  very  feeble  and  too  worldly-minded  profes 
sor,  who  may  be  after  all  a  sincere  Christian, 
as  upon  the  spiritually-minded,  heavenly,  self- 
denying,  and  consistent  one? 

But  the  sources  of  our  heavenly  bliss  will 
not  be  all  from  without,  but  also  from  within. 


MOTIVES  TO  PROG-RESS.  249 

Even  on  earth,  "  a  good  man  is  satisfied  from 
himself.'5  He  carries,  in  his  holy  dispositions, 
the  springs  of  his  own  felicity  about  with  him. 
And  so  will  it  he  in  heaven.  It  is  not  only 
ivhere,  and  with  whom  we  shall  he,  hut  what 
we  shall  he,  that  will  make  us  happy.  And 
eminent  piety  here  will,  in  all  likelihood,  pre 
pare  us  for  a  larger  capacity  of  holiness  and 
happiness  there.  The  holiness  and  happiness 
of  the  least  saint  hi  heaven  will  he  as  perfect 
as  that  of  the  highest  archangel,  or  the  chief  of 
the  apostles ;  but  the  capacity  for  this  per 
fection  may,  and  must  be  immeasurably  larger 
in  the  one  case  than  the  other.  A  tea-cup  may 
be  as  full  to  overflowing  as  a  cistern,  yet  how 
much  greater  is  the  fulness  in  the  one  case  than 
in  the  other.  Here  then  is  the  connection  not 
only  of  a  state  of  grace,  but  of  the  actings  of 
grace  with  a  state  of  glory.  It  is  not  only  that 
one  leads  to  the  other,  not  only  that  one  pre 
pares  for  the  other,  but  that  one  is  proportion 
ate  is  the  other.  It  is  probable  that  there  i? 
not  one  holy  act,  or  motive,  or  desire,  or  volition 
of  our  whole  lives,  that  has  not  some  bearing 
upon  our  eternal  character  and  happiness.  God 


250  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

deals  with  us  as  regards  another  world,  not  only 
according  to  our  state,  whether  we  are  righteous 
or  wicked,  but  according  to  our  actings  in  that 
state. 

ADDRESS  TO  THE   READER. 

Is  your  heart  susceptible  of  the  power  of  a 
motive  to  any  thing  ?  Is  there  aught  below  or 
above  the  skies  that  can  move  you  ?  Do  you 
really  know  what  a  motive  means  ?  If  so,  sure 
ly,  surely  you  must  feel  the  force  of  these  I 
have  now  presented.  Must  not  the  stone  of  an 
unrenewed  heart  remain  in  your  soul  unchanged 
to  flesh,  if  you  are  insensible  to  the  power  and 
attractions  of  these  inducements  ?  If  these 
things  fail  to  impress  you  and  impel  you,  you 
would  remain  stationary  and  indifferent  beneath 
a  voice  or  a  vision  from  heaven,  or  a  messenger 
from  the  burning  pit.  If  these  things  do  not 
stimulate  you,  I  should  despair  of  the  power 
of  an  angel's  harp  or  a  demon's  groan.  Are 
you  on  reading  these  pages  at  all  excited  to  de 
sire  to  advance  ?  Say,  does  the  fire  kindle,  does 
the  glow  diffuse  throughout  your  soul  at  the 
idea  of  what  is  here  presented  ?  If  not,  let  me 


MOTIVES  TO  PE.OG-HESS.  251 

try  again,  not  by  new  motives,  but  by  recalling 
those  which  are  here  enumerated. 

Does  not  the  dread  of  declension,  backslid 
ing,  apostasy,  terrify  you  ? 

Shall  not  the  command  of  God  impel  you  ? 

Will  not  the  hope  of  gaining  a  sweet  and 
blessed  evidence  of  sincerity,  lead  you  to  seek 
after  progress  ? 

Does  not  the  experience  you  have  already 
had,  though  it  may  be  in  a  small  degree,  of 
the  reward  which  advancement  yields,  induce 
you  to  go  forward  ? 

And  then  what  shall  be  said  of  the  fact  that 
our  degrees  of  grace  will  regulate  our  degrees 
of  glory  ?  Has  this  no  motive  power  for  your 
soul  ?  "What,  so  dull,  so  earthly,  so  insensible  to 
the  felicities,  honors,  and  distinctions  of  heaven, 
as  to  feel  little  holy  ambition  to  have  some  high 
place  there  ? 


252  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

ENCOURAGEMENTS  TO  PROGRESS. 

THERE  is,  perhaps,  no  greater  hinder ance  on 
the  part  of  some,  than  a  desponding  fear  of 
ever  getting  forward  in  the  divine  life.  They 
see  so  much  in  themselves  that  is  imperfect — 
such  ignorance,  such  corruption,  such  luke- 
warmness ;  so  much  in  their  situation  and 
circumstances  that  is  opposed  to  their  advance 
ment  ;  so  much  of  stagnancy  or  declension  in 
others,  that  seems  to  render  it  unlikely  that 
they  shall  succeed  better  than  their  friends  and 
acquaintances  ;  so  much  that  renders  it  un 
necessary,  as  they  suppose,  for  them  ever  to 
wish  for  it,  that  they  give  it  up  in  hopeless 
depression.  "  Ah,"  they  say,  "it  is  indeed  a 
desirable  thing  to  grow  in  grace.  Happy  are 
they  who  can  realize  so  covetable  a  condition 
of  soul.  I  often  long  for  it,  but  it  is  with  the 
wishes  of  one  who  sees  the  object  of  his  desire 


ENCOURAGEMENTS  TO  PROGRESS.   253 

immeasurably  above  his  reach.  I  sometimes 
sigh  amidst  my  low  attainments  in  knowledge, 
faith,  joy,  and  holiness,  and  pant  for  better 
things  ;  but  I  end  as  I  began,  in  desponding 
lamentations,  I  seem  forbidden  to  hope  for  im 
provement."  Forbidden !  By  whom  ?  Cer 
tainly  not  by  God.  Discouraged  !  Why  ?  Let 
your  despondency  yield  to  the  following  con 
siderations. 

To  those  who  are  really  anxious  about  this 
matter,  the  Scripture  is  full  of  encouragement. 
How  confident  is  the  language  of  Job  amidst 
all  his  sorrows.  "  The  righteous  shall  hold  on 
his  way,  and  he  that  hath  clean  hands  shall 
wax  stronger  and  stronger."  Job  17  :  9.  Here 
is  not  only  continuance  but  progress.  "  Clean 
hands"  are  designed  to  denote  a  holy  life. 

Among  the   ancients  they  were  regarded  as 

«/ 

indicative  of  purity  of  heart.  Porphyry  re 
marks  that  in  the  heathen  "  mysteries,"  those 
who  were  initiated  were  accustomed  to  wash 
their  hands  with  honey  instead  of  water^  as  a 
pledge  that  they  would  preserve  themselves 
from  every  impure  and  unholy  thing.  So  that 
the  language  of  Job  is  an  assurance  that  a  holy 


254  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

man  should  become  still  more  holy.  His  very 
practice  of  righteousness  tends  to  establish  him 
in  his  way,  to  confirm  his  principles,  and  make 
that  easy  by  habit  which  is  enjoined  as  duty. 
Piety,  like  every  thing  else,  strengthens  by 
exercise. 

How  beautiful  is  the  language  of  the  Psalm 
ist :  "  The  righteous  shall  flourish  like  the  palm- 
tree  ;  he  shall  grow  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon. 
Those  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of  our  (rod. 
They  shall  still  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age  ;  they 
shall  be  fat  and  flourishing."  Psalm  92  :  12-14. 
The  palm  is  indigenous  to  tropical  and  other 
warm  climates.  It  grows  to  a  considerable 
height  and  size,  and  presents  a  beautiful  appear 
ance.  Its  fruits,  which  are  called  dates,  are 
much  valued  and  are  eaten  both  fresh  and  pre 
served,  and  are  also  pressed  for  syrup  and  wine. 
But  it  is  not  for  its  fruit  alone  that  the  palm  is 
so  valuable.  From  the  boughs,  which  are  yearly 
lopped  off  from  the  lower  parts  of  the  stem,  are 
made  baskets,  bird-cages,  ropes,  and  sacks; 
from  the  leaves,  mattresses,  sandals,  etc.  It  is 
an  evergreen,  and  lives  to  an  extreme  old  age : 


ENCOURAG-E^IEHTS  TO  PROGRESS.       255 

the  wood  is  durable  and  much.  used.  How 
striking  an  emblem  of  a  good  man.  He  shall 
flourish  like  the  palm-tree.  The  cedar  was 
considered  by  the  Hebrews  as  the  monarch  of 
the  vegetable  world,  on  account  of  its  magni 
tude,  majesty,  the  number  and  extent  of  its 
boughs,  and  the  durability  of  its  wood,  which 
was  so  remarkable  that  some  supposed  it  to  be 
incorruptible.  Moreover  every  thing  about  the 
oriental  cedar  has  a  strong  balsamic  odor,  and 
hence  the  whole  forest  is  so  perfumed  with 
fragrance  that  a  walk  through  it  is  delightful. 
Mount  Lebanon  was  in  ancient  times  covered 
with  forests  of  cedars,  of  which  however  there 
are  now  only  few  remains.  Again  we  say  to 
the  Christian,  Behold  your  emblem.  "  He 
shall  grow  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon." 

Similar  to  this  representation  is  the  extra 
ordinarily  picturesque  language  which  we  find 
in  the  book  of  Hosea :  "  I  will  be  as  the  dew 
unto  Israel ;  he  shall  grow  as  the  lily,  and  cast 
forth  his  roots  as  Lebanon.  His  branches 
shall  spread,  and  his  beauty  shall  be  as  the 
olive-tree,  and  his  smell  as  Lebanon.  They 
that  dwell  under  his  shadow  shall  return  ;  they 


256  CHRISTIAN  PROORESS. 

shall  revive  as  the  corn,  and  grow  as  the  vine  : 
the  scent  thereof  shall  be  as  the  wine  of  Leb 
anon/'  Hos.  14  :  5-7.  These  verses  contain 
gracious  promises  of  Grod's  favor  and  blessings 
upon  Israel's  conversion.  In  the  fifth  verse  it 
is  described  by  that  refreshment  which  copious 
dews  give  to  the  grass  in  summer.  If  we  con 
sider  the  nature  of  the  climate  and  the  necessity 
of  dews  in  so  hot  a  country,  not  only  to  refresh 
but  likewise  to  preserve  life  ;  if  we  consider 
also  the  beauty  of  the  oriental  lilies,  the  fra 
grance  of  the  cedars  which  grow  upon  Lebanon, 
the  beauteous  appearance  which  the  surround 
ing  olive-trees  afford,  the  exhilarating  coolness 
caused  by  the  shade  of  such  trees,  and  the 
aromatic  smell  exhaled  by  the  cedars ;  if  we 
add  to  this  the  reviving  of  the  corn  with  all 
the  verdure  of  spring,  and  the  blushing  grapes 
pendant  from  the  vine,  we  shall  then  partly 
understand  the  force  of  the  metaphors  hero 
employed  by  the  prophet ;  but  their  full  energy 
no  one  can  conceive  till  he  feels  both  the  want 
and  enjoys  the  advantage  of  the  particulars 
referred  to  in  that  climate  where  the  prophet 
wrote.  "  What  a  glorious  prophecy !  How 


ENCOURAGEMENTS  TO  PROGRESS.      257 

sublime,  how  energetic,  how  just!  and  this 
description  is  not  for  Israel  merely  after  the 
flesh,  but  for  the  Israel  of  Grod.  It  may  be 
there  is  a  national  reference,  but  we  have  lot 
and  portion  hi  the  matter.  Grod  sets  his  love 
upon  us  ;  pours  down  his  grace  upon  us  ;  and 
fulfils  all  this  to  those  who  have  faith  in  the 
promise  of  his  Spirit."  It  is  not  merely  the 
poetic  beauty  of  this  passage  that  we  hold  up  to 
notice,  though  this  is  surpassingly  great,  and 
it  is  one  of  those  gems  of  composition  which 
so  profusely  stud  the  Bible  and  commend  it  to 
taste  as  well  as  to  piety,  but  it  is  the  promises 
of  grace  and  growth  which  it  contains  for  the 
encouragement  and  consolation  of  all  Grod's 
people  to  the  end  of  time. 

How  full  of  encouragement  is  also  the  lan 
guage  of  the  prophet,  Isaiah  40:  31.  "They 
that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their 
strength ;  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as 
eagles  ;  they  shall  run,  and  not  be  weary  ;  and 
they  shall  walk,  and  not  faint."  This  beautiful 
passage  refers  primarily,  though  not  exclusive 
ly,  to  the  captive  Jews  in  Babylon,  and  en 
couraged  the  pious  among  them  to  exercise 

Chr.  Prf.fc  1  7 


258  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

confidence  in  God's  ability  and  willingness  to 
accomplish  his  promises,  and  to  wait  with 
patience  for  his  gracious  appearance  on  their 
behalf.  But  it  contains  a  general  promise  of 
continued  supplies  of  grace  and  strength  to 
all  who  really  desire  to  serve  the  Lord  with 
integrity  and  simplicity.  The  image  of  the 
eagle  is  a  very  fine  one,  and  this  is  not  the 
only  place  where  it  is  employed.  The  prophet 
alludes  to  the  strength  of  pinion  and  of  vision 
possessed  by  this  noble  bird,  whereby  it  ascends 
to  a  lofty  height,  untired  and  undazzled,  soaring 
even  above  the  fogs  and  mists  of  the  lower 
regions  of  the  air,  mounting  above  the  very 
clouds,  undeterred  by  the  lightning,  and  floating 
in  the  pure  azure  above.  Thus  shall  all  who 
wait  upon  the  Lord  rise  higher  and  higher, 
upon  the  mighty  pinions  of  strong  devotion 
and  with  the  unblinking  eye  of  faith,  into  the 
regions  of  heavenly-mindedness ;  and  shall 
approach  nearer  and  nearer  to  Grod,  the  sun  of 
our  spiritual  day. 

Then  the  other  expressions,  if  less  figurative, 
are  not  less  encouraging  :  "  They  shall  run" 
in  the  heavenly  race,  for  the  crown  of  immor- 


ENCOUE.AG-EMENTS  TO  PROaRESS.     259 

tal  glory,  "  and  not  be  weary"  Their  strength, 
instead  of  being  exhausted,  shall,  contrary  to 
what  occurs  in  bodily  effort,  be  increased  by 
exertion.  No  length  nor  greatness  of  labor 
shall  be  too  much  for  them.  Grod  shall  pour 
into  their  souls  fresh  energy  for  every  fresh 
effort.  They  shall  thus  be  enabled  to  press 
along  the  mark  towards  the  prize  of  their  high 
calling  in  Christ  Jesus.  "  They  shall  walk, 
and  not  faint"  Their  wayfare  may  be  ardu 
ous  ;  the  road  may  be  long  and  rugged ;  often 
up  steep  ascents,  and  down  into  deep  and 
rocky  denies,  where  every  step  is  a  labor,  but 
they  shall  not  lose  heart  or  hope ;  they  shall 
not  swoon,  nor  halt,  nor  turn  back,  but  go 
forwards,  sustained  by  a  power  greater  than 
their  own. 

But  perhaps  a  plain  didactic  and  unpoetic 
quotation  from  the  New  Testament,  will,  after 
all,  have  more  weight  with  some  minds  than 
this  profusion  of  gorgeous  oriental  imagery. 
What  then  can  be  more  consolatory  than  the  apos 
tle's  words  to  the  Philippian  church?  " Being 
confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  He  which 
hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it 


260  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

until  the  day  of  Christ."  Phil.  1:6.  He  will 
have  respect  to  and  delight  in  the  work  of  his 
hands.  He  is  honored  and  glorified  by  the 
perseverance  of  his  people  in  faith  and  holi 
ness,  and  will  give  all  the  supplies  of  grace 
necessary  for  the  work.  He  loves  to  see  his 
children  grow  in  all  that  is  excellent,  even  as 
does  a  wise  and  good  earthly  parent,  and  far 
more  readily  will  contribute  all  that  is  neces 
sary  for  this  purpose. 

2.  Dwell  upon  the  love  and  tenderness  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Let  me  direct  your 
attention  first  of  all  to  that  wonderfully  beau 
tiful  and  tender  representation  where  it  is  said, 
"He  shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd;  he 
shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  shall 
carry  them  in  his  bosom."  Isaiah  40  :  11. 
Now  you  will  notice  who  are  here  represented 
as  the  objects  of  his  care,  "  the  lambs  ;"  which 
means  not  only  those  of  tender  age,  but  of 
recent  standing  in  religion,  they  who  are 
young  in  Christian  experience  ;  and  also  they 
whose  spirits  are  withal  naturally  timid,  whose 
strength  is  feeble,  and  whose  danger  is  great. 
You,  you,  recently  brought  to  Christ  by  re- 


ENCOURAGEMENTS  TO  PROGRESS.     261 

pentance  and  faith,  you  are  the  objects  of 
Christ's  special  attention,  care,  and  solicitude. 
You  are  they  whom  he  takes  up  in  the  arms  of 
his  power,  and  lays  on  the  "bosom  of  his  love. 
He  knows  your  weakness,  your  timidity,  your 
dangers.  He  directs  towards  you  his  tenderest 
sympathy,  and  will  exert  for  you  his  greatest 
vigilance  and  his  mightiest  power.  This  ex 
pression  however  not  .only  conveys  the  idea  of 
great  care  of  the  weak,  but  the  exercise  of  that 
care  with  a  view  to  their  preservation  and 
growth ;  it  means  not  only  that  he  cordially 
receives  them,  will  provide  for  their  safety, 
consult  their  comfort,  and  will  accommodate  his 
conduct  to  their  wants,  but  that  he  will  nourish 
them  through  their  infant  existence,  and  rear 
them  up  to  maturity  and  strength.  You  should 
dwell  upon  the  exquisite  tenderness  of  the 
passage — but  not  only  upon  this,  but  upon  its 
intimation  that  he  will  assist  you  in  your 
growth.  The  good  Shepherd  does  not  wish  or 
intend  that  his  lambs  should  be  always  lambs ; 
his  aim  is  that  they  should  be  full-grown  sheep, 
and  he  will  leave  nothing  undone  that  this 
might  be  accomplished ;  and  it  is  for  this 


262  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

reason,  as  well  as  from  pity  and  kindness,  that 
he  takes  such  care  of  them.  So  it  is  with  our 
Lord  Jesus  in  reference  to  the  young  convert 
Let  every  lamb  of  the  flock  of  Christ  therefore 
go  to  him  by  faith  and  prayer,  and  say,  "  Blessed 
Jesus,  I  come  to  thee  a  poor  weak  and  trembling 
creature,  doubtful  of  my  own  continuance,  and 
alarmed  at  my  numerous  difficulties  and  ene 
mies.  I  am  but  a  lamb,  and  often  fear  I  shall 
never  be  any  thing  better,  but  perish  as  I  am. 
But  was  it  not  in  regard  to  such  weakness  that 
thou  hast  been  pleased  to  utter  these  gracious 
and  tender  words  ?  I  believe  what  thou  hast 
spoken,  and  will  venture  my  soul  upon  it.  I 
flee  to  thee  as  the  helpless  lamb  to  its  shepherd 
when  hungry  to  feed  it,  when  pursued  by  wild 
beasts  that  he  may  defend  it.  Lord,  take  me 
in  the  arms  of  thy  power  and  lay  me  on  the 
bosom  of  thy  love,  though  I  am  so  poor  and 
inconsiderable  a  creature.  'I  will  hope  in  thy 
pastoral  power  and  love,  that  I  shall  not  only 
continue  but  grow,  and  that  thou  wilt  one  day 
rejoice  in  me  as  one  of  the  flock  which  thou 
hast  purchased  with  thy  own  blood." 

3.  But   perhaps    you   may   find   some   en- 


ENCOURAGEMENTS  TO  PROGRESS.      263 

couragement  even  in  your  own  experience, 
without  looking  to  others.  You  are  sometimes 
disheartened  and  oast  down.  You  make  little 
or  no  progress  in  religion.  You  are  no  wiser, 
holier,  or  happier  than  you  were.  And  you 
fear  you  never  shall  be.  You  begin  to  be 
heartless  and  desponding.  Deeply  sensible  of 
your  deficiencies,  you  fear  they  will  never  be 
supplied  ;  you  feel  your  remaining  corruptions, 
and  have  faint  hopes  of  subduing  them.  You 
see  heights  above  your  head,  which  you  fear 
you  shall  never  reach.  In  the  race  you  are  no 
nearer  the  goal,  and  in  the  conflict  gain  few 
advantages  over  your  foes.  To  be  as  you  are 
is  your  utmost  hope,  and  not  to  go  back  your 
strongest  effort.  For  you,  progress  is  out  of 
the  question.  Again  I  ask,  Why  ?  Only  because 
you  think  so.  I  have  referred  you  to  the 
promises  of  God — to  the  grace  and  intercession 
of  Christ — to  the  examples  of  others  ;  but  now 
let  me  refer  you  to  your  own  history  and  ex 
perience.  I  am  supposing  that  you  have  expe 
rienced  the  converting  grace  of  Grod ;  that  you 
have  really  and  in  earnest  commenced  the 
great  work  of  salvation  ;  that,  in  short,  you  are 


264  CHRISTIAN  PROOJ-RESS. 

not  what  you  were.  Old  things  have  passed 
away  and  all  things  have  become  new.  And 
if  this  be  the  case,  is  it  for  you  to  doubt  whether 
you  can  advance  ?  Is  continuance  to  be  de 
spaired  of  by  him  who  has  been  enabled  to 
begin  ;  or  advancement  by  him  who  has  been 
enabled  to  continue  ?  Have  you  by  grace  taken 
the  mighty  step,  stride,  bound,  for  it  is  all  this, 
from  an  unconverted  to  a  converted  state,  and 
do  you  doubt  whether  you  shall  go  on  step  by 
step  afterwards  ?  Have  you  pressed  through 
the  strait  gate,  and  shall  you  not  be  able  to 
press  forward  also  in  the  narrow  path?  Is 
progressive  sanctification  more  difficult,  either 
to  you  or  to  Grod,  than  regeneration  ?  Oh,  think 
of  all  the  difficulties  that  stood  in  the  way 
when  you  first  entered  the  road  to  glory. 
Recollect  what  you  had  to  encounter  from 
within  and  without.  Have  you  forgotten  the 
trembling  apprehensions  with  which,  when  the 
decision  wa*s  to  be  made  for  Christ,  salvation, 
and  eternity,  you  doubted  if  it  ever  would  be 
made  ?  The  anguish  with  which,  on  a  survey 
of  all  you  had  to  encounter,  you  exclaimed, 
"  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?"  Yet  it 


ENCOURAGEMENTS  TO  PROG-RESS.      265 

ivas  made.  Grod's  grace  was  sufficient  for  you 
in  this  tremendous  crisis  of  your  spiritual  and 
eternal  history.  And  now,  can  you  doubt 
whether  the  grace  that  converted  you  can  carry 
you  forward  ?  What,  planted  and  not  be  able 
to  thrive?  Born,  and  not  be  able  to  grow? 
Started,  and  not  be  able  to  run?  Victorious, 
and  not  be  able  to  conquer  ?  Will  you  so  much 
disparage  the  grace  that  has  been  given  as  to 
doubt  its  continuance,  and  the  work  it  has 
wrought  as  to  fear  its  going  forward  ?  Have 
you  learned  no  more  from  God's  past  wisdom 
and  power  and  love,  than  to  question  whether 
they  will  help  you  onward  in  that  course  to 
which  they  have  introduced  you  ?  Why,  one 
should  be  ready  to  suppose  you  would  be  ever 
full  of  joyful  expectation  and  exultation  too, 
exclaiming,  "  To  what  measure  of  knowledge, 
faith,  holiness,  joy,  and  usefulness,  may  I  not 
hope  to  reach,  since  I  have  been  translated  by 
the  power  of  Grod  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
from  the  kingdom  of  Satan  unto  Gfod  ?"  You 
yourself,  in  what  Grod  has  done  for  you,  are  a 
proof  of  what  he  can  and  will  do  for  yon  if  you 
will  ask  him,  and  trust  him.  Cast  away  then, 


266  CHRISTIAN   PROGRESS. 

all  your  desponding  fears,  your  low  expecta 
tions,  your  unworthy  doubts ;  they  dishonor 
G-od  as  well  as  distress  yourself.  You  are 
yourself  the  strongest  proof  that  you  can  ad 
vance,  for  you  have  advanced.  "  He  that  has 
begun  the  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it 
until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."  Remember 
the  words,  and  enter  into  the  argument,  of  the 
apostle,  "  Much  more  then,  being  now  justified 
by  his  blood,  we  shall  be  saved  from  wrath 
through  him.  For  if  when  we  were  enemies, 
we  were  reconciled  to  Grod  by  the  death  of  his 
Son,  much  more,  being  reconciled,  we  shall 
be  saved  by  his  life."  Rom.  o  :  9,  10. 

CONCLUDING-  ADDRESS  TO  THE  READER. 

The  subject,  the  ineffably,  infinitely,  eter 
nally  momentous  subject,  is  now  before  you, 
compared  with  which  all  other  matters,  even 
the  most  valuable  of  them,  dwindle  into  insig 
nificance,  shrink  into  nothing,  and  fade  into 
darkness.  I  have  been  speaking  about  prog 
ress  ;  but  progress  in  what?  Not  in  science, 
literature,  wealth,  power,  fame.  No.  These 
are  important ;  but  what  are  they  to  religion  ? 


ENCOURAGEMENTS  TO  PROGRESS.   267 

They  relate  to  earth,  this  to  heaven ;  they  be 
long  to  time,  this  to  eternity.  Their  value 
will  cease  at  death ;  the  value  of  this  will  then 
be  perpetuated  for  ever  and  ever.  Every  step 
you  take  in  this  course  is  a  step  to  glory,  honor, 
and  immortality ;  consequences  hang  on  each 
step  which  no  mind  can  comprehend  but  that 
which  grasps  infinity  and  eternity.  You  are 
fearfully  and  wonderfully  placed,  for  you  are 
passing  through  a  probation  which  must  issue 
in  torment  or  in  bliss  which  eye  hath  not  seen, 
nor  ear  heard,  nor  has  ever  entered  into  the 
imagination  of  the  human  mind.  I  have  laid 
before  you  the  necessity  of  that  progress — its 
nature,  its  means,  its  hinderances,  its  mistakes, v 
its  motives,  and  its  encouragements,  which  be 
long  to  true  religion.  By  the  perusal  of  this 
book  you  have  incurred  a  new  responsibility, 
and  are  under  a  more  solemn  weight  of  obliga 
tion  than  you  were  before.  If  you  should  turn 
back  in  your  course,  you  had  better  never  have 
read  it ;  or  having  read  it,  would  find  it  a  mercy 
could  you  blot  from  your  memory  its  contents. 
But  this  you  cannot  do.  No  water  of  oblivion 
can  help  you  to  cast  into  forgetfulness  what 


268  CHRISTIAN  PROGRESS. 

you  have  read.  Its  coming  into  your  hands 
will  form  a  new  fact  in  your  existence  of  no 
small  moment  to  you  ;  for  it  will  be  a  new  ag 
gravation  of  the  sin  and  condemnation  of  hack- 
sliding,  or  a  new  means  of  growth  in  grace. 
It  may  he  neglected  and  for  a  while  lost  sight 
of,  hut  it  will  rise  up  again  and  again,  if  you 
recede,  and  will  meet  you  like  a  frowning  . 
spectre  in  your  retrograde  path.  It  will  follow 
you  into  eternity,  to  give  sharpness  and  venom 
to  the  tooth  of  the  never-dying  worm,  and 
fierceness  to  the  fire  that  never  shall  he  quench 
ed.  But  "  I  hope  hetter  things  of  you,  and 
things  that  accompany  salvation,  though  I  thus 
speak."  The  motives  I  have  suggested  will,  I 
hope,  prevail  to  urge,  and  the  encouragements 
I  have  suggested  to  excite  you  to  advance. 
Every  thing  you  can  desire  or  imagine,  that 
would  he  helpful,  is  with  you  and  for  you.  The 
attributes  of  the  eternal  Grod,  the  character  and 
offices  of  Christ,  the  influences  and  operations 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  ministration  of  angels, 
the  labors  of  Christian  ministers,  the  religious 
literature  of  the  age,  the  prayers  of  all  good 
men,  are  with  you,  to  aid  and  encourage  you 


ENCOURAG-EMENTS  TO  PROG-RESS.     269 

in  your  progress.  Is  this  nothing  ?  Is  it  little  ? 
On  the  contrary,  is  it  not  much  ?  Is  it  not  every 
thing  ?  What  more  can  you  need,  or  can  you 
have? 

And  now  then  let  me  conjure  you  to  seek  to 
advance  in  the  divine  life.  You  must  not,  you 
dare  not,  and  I  hope,  by  the  grace  of  Gfod,  will 
not,  be  satisfied  to  be  always  what  you  are, 
with  no  more  knowledge,  faith,  holiness,  or 
peace  than  you*  now  have.  What  Grod  com 
manded  to  be  said  to  the  children  of  Israel, 
that  they  should  GO  FORWARD,  is  said  to  you : 
GO  FORWARD.  By  all  the  authority,  the  com 
mands,  the  promises  of  Grod — by  all  the  love, 
power,  grace,  and  intercession  of  Christ — by  all 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  sufficient  for 
your  need,  I  conjure  you,  GO  FORWARD.  By  all 
the  value  of  your  immortal  soul  and  all  the 
blessings  included  in  its  salvation,  I  conjure 
you,  GO  FORWARD.  By  all  the  pleasures  of  real 
religion  now,  and  all  the  meetness  it  furnishes 
for  eternal  bliss  hereafter,  I  conjure  you,  GO 
FORWARD.  By  all  the  regard  you  have  to  the 
credit  of  the  Christian  profession  and  the  wel 
fare  of  other  men's  souls,  I  conjure  you,  GO  FOR- 


270  CHRISTIAN  PROG-RESS. 

WARD.  By  all  the  solemnities  of  judgment, 
all  the  glories  of  heaven,  all  the  torments  of 
hell,  all  the  ages  of  eternity,  I  conjure  you,  GO 
FORWARD.  To  all  these  arguments  and  entrea 
ties,  so  urgent  as  well  as  so  numerous,  let  judg 
ment,  heart,  will,  conscience,  respond.  "  On 
ward,  onward  in  the  path  to  holiness,  happi 
ness,  and  heaven ;  and  then  onward,  onward, 
through  the  progression  of  eternal  ages. 

Now  lay  down  the  book  anct  present  in  sin 
cerity,  faith,  and  fervor,  the  following  prayer : 

Almighty  and  most  merciful  Father,  thou 
delightest  not  in  the  death  of  a  sinner,  much 
less  in  the  destruction  of  a  believer ;  grant  me, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  the  power  of  thy  Holy 
Spirit,  to  follow  the  directions  laid  down  in  this 
book.  Impress  me  more  and  more  deeply  with 
the  necessity  of  progress  in  the  divine  life. 
Enlighten  me  to  understand  its  true  nature. 
Preserve  me  from  all  mistakes  on  this  moment 
ous  subject.  Bless  to  me  the  use  of  appropri 
ate  means  for  growth  in  grace.  Enable  me  to 
avoid  and  put  aside  all  hinderances  to  progress. 
Stimulate  me  by  the  application  to  my  con 
science  and  heart  of  all  the  motives  here  sug- 


ENCOURAG-EMENTS  TO  PROORESS.      271 

gested,  and  cheer  me  by  the  encouragements 
which  have  been  held  out  to  me.  Of  thine  in 
finite  mercy  never  suffer  me  to  draw  back  unto 
perdition,  but  number  me  with  those  who  be 
lieve  to  the  saving  of  the  soul.  Help  me  like 
thy  holy  and  blessed  apostle  Paul  to  forget  the 
things  that  are  behind  and  press  towards  the 
mark  for  the  prize  of  our  high  calling  in  Christ 
Jesus ;  and  after  continual  increase  of  grace 
here,  bring  me  to  the  eternal  progression  of  thy 
saints  in  glory  everlasting.  Grant  this  accord 
ing  to  the  riches  of  thy  grace  through  Christ 
Jesus.  Amen. 


PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 

D'Aubigne's  History  of 

Memoir  of  Dr.  Payson. 

Dibble's    Thoughts    on 

the    Reformation,    a 

Memoir  of  Mrs.  H.  L. 

Missions 

new    translation,  re 

Winslow. 

Mori  son's    Counsels    to 

vised  by  the  Author, 

Memoir  of  J.  B.  Taylor. 

Young  Men. 

4  vols.,  each  450  pp., 

Memoir  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bu 

Songs  of  Zion. 

cloth  extra,  $1  75. 

chanan.  • 

James'  Anx.  Inquirer. 

Family  Testament.with 

Elegant  Narratives,  se 

Mason's       Self-  Know 

Notes. 

lect  Tracts  illustrated. 

ledge. 

Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Pro 

Guide  to  Y'ng  Disciples. 

Sherman's  Guide  to  Ac 

gress,  large  type. 

Bunyan's  Pil.  Progress. 

quaintance  with  God 

Baxter's    Saints'   Rest, 

Elijah  the  Tishbite. 

Divine  Law  of  Benefi 

large  type. 

Volume  on  Infidelity. 

cence. 

Baxter's    Treatise     on 

Doddridge's    Rise    and 

Zaccheus,  or  Scriptural 

Conversion. 

Progress. 

Plan  of  Benevolence. 

Life  of  Jas.  Milnor,  D.D. 

Life  of  Martyn. 

James'  Young  Man  from 

Flavel's  Fount,  of  Life. 

Edwards'  History  of  Re 

Home. 

Flavel's  Meth.  of  Grace. 

demption. 

Henry  on  Meekness. 

Flavel's    Knocking    at 

Pike's     Persuasives    to 

Baxter's  Call  to  the  Un 

the  Door. 

Early  Piety. 

converted. 

Mason's  Spir.  Treasury. 

Practical  Piety,  by  Han 

Do.  Dying  Thoughts. 

Hall's  Scrip.  History. 

nah  More. 

Do.     Life,    chiefly    by 

Riches  of  Bunyan. 

Anecdotes  for  the  Fam 

himself. 

Gregory's  Letters  on  In 

ily  Circle. 

Considerations  for  Y'ng 

fidelity. 

Spirit  of  Popery. 

Men. 

Hopkins  on  Ten  Com 

Wilberforce's  Practical 

Alleine's  Alarm. 

mandments. 

View. 

Keith's    Evidences    of 

Memoir  of  Mrs.  Graham. 

Life  ol  David  Brainerd. 

Prophecy. 

Venn's  Complete  Duty 

MelvilFs  Bib.  Thoughts. 

Who  are  the  Happy  ? 

of  Man. 

Mammon,  or  Covetous- 

Fuller's  Backslider. 

Alleine's  Heav.  Opened. 

ness  the    Sin  of   the 

Flavel  on  Keeping  the 

Owen  on  Forgiveness  of 

Church.    By  Harris. 

Heart. 

Sin,  Psalm  130. 

Life  of  Samuel  Pearce. 

Flavel's  Touchstone. 

Memoir  of  Mrs.  Sarah 

Edwards  on  Affections. 

Letters  on  Universalism. 

L.  H.  Smith. 

Life  of  John  Newton. 

Self-Deception. 

Nelson  on  Infidelity. 

Memoir  of  H.  Page. 

The  Bible  True. 

Dr.  Spring's  Bible  Not 

Nevins'  Prac.  Thoughts. 

Scudder's     Appeal     to 

of  Man. 

Abbott's  Moth.  at  Home. 

Mothers. 

Afflicted    Man's    Com 

Abbott's  Child  at  Home. 

Social    Hymns,    (large 

panion,  by  Willison. 
•  Baxter's  Ref'd  Pastor. 

Youth's  Book  of  Natural 
Theology. 

32mo.) 

Hymns  to  Sacred  Songs, 

Memoir  of  Summerfield. 

Religion  andEter.  Life. 

(large  32mc.) 

BOOKS  FOR  THE  YOUNG. 

Peep  of  Day. 

Charlotte  Elizabeth. 

Pictorial  Tract  Primer. 

Line  upon  Line. 

Mem'r  of  Car.  E  .  Smelt. 

Great  Truths. 

Precept  upon  Precept. 

John  D.  Lockwood. 

Jessie  Little. 

Memoir    of    Anzonetta 

Martha  T.  Sharp. 

Isabel. 

R.  Peters. 

Gallaudet's  Child's  B'k 

Walker's     Faith    Ex 

The  Night  of  Toil. 
Advice  to  a  Y.  Christian. 

on  the  Soul. 
Tales  ab't  the  Heathen. 

plained. 
Walker's     Repentance 

Hannah  More's  Reposi 
tory  Tracts. 

The  Dairyman's  Daugh 
ter,  etc. 

Explained. 
Margaret  and  Henrietta. 

Mary  Lundie  Duncan. 
Fletcher's    Lectures   to 

The  Withered  Branch 
Revived. 

Bartimeus. 
With  numerous  similai 

Children. 

Scripture  Lessons. 

works. 

ALSO,  upwards  of  1,000  Tracts  and  Children's  Tracts,  separate,  bound, 
or  in  packets,  adapted  for  convenient  sale  by  merchants  and  traders,  many 
of  them  with  beautiful  engravings  —  in  English,  German,  French,  Span 
ish,  Portuguesej  Italian.  Dutch,  Danish,  Swedish,  and  Welsh. 

THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


F£B  20  1939 


APR10 


VA 


P?874 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


IH| 

••HP 

;     ,     '"     "*  •*•••" 


•'•if^mw 

ull 

WH^« 
HMaBBB 


n 


liiii 


